The starter season is gaining momentum. Last week’s jumpers competed in Tomaszów Mazowiecki as part of the PGE Polish Cup and although the top players’ times were far from the best of their lives, none of the team members panicked about of the most important departures.
– The track conditions played a big role and the ice wasn’t the fastest yet. It was especially difficult on long distances – said Paweł Abratkiewicz, coach of the Polish national speed skating team after the competition. – Don’t forget that this is only the beginning of the season. Coach Abratkiewicz embraced the concept of high training volume in his work almost right up to the World Cup itself. It is necessary to wait for the seniors to relax and refresh themselves every day. New solutions require patience and that’s what coach Abratkiewicz communicated to the players – adds Konrad Niedźwiedzki, sports director of the Polish Speed Skating Association.
In recent years, Polish panczenists have “forged” the form at the end of the preparations in the German Inzell, where the local track is considered one of the fastest in Europe. This year, however, our representation faced a serious disappointment.
– We didn’t have the best conditions in Germany. It was very cold, very humid, which made training difficult. In addition, several players, including Karolina Bosiek, dropped out of training and fell ill – lists Abratkiewicz’s problems. – However, we will not despair. The work we have done in Inzell should finally pay off in the season – he adds.
We will know the answer to the question where our representatives are with the form from Thursday. The four-day battle in the ice arena won’t just be contested for medals. Also at stake for the Polish national team in the distances are national team spots for the first World Cup competition this season in Stavanger (November 11-13) and Heerenveen (November 18-20).
– We will want to bring as many players as possible to Norway and the Netherlands in order to maintain consistency in the training process. It is easier and more efficient to work with a larger group of people – announces Abratkiewicz.
Piotr Michalski is awaiting his first official start in the country this season. The current European champion in the 500 meters, as well as the double gold medalist of the last Polish Championships on the same and twice as long distance, did not compete in the Polish PGE Cup last weekend.
– We took the opportunity to practice, wanting to add some stronger accents. This week will also be intense to prepare for the World Cup. We are recovering slowly and starting to feel the effects of several months of work. I hope there will be reasons to be happy during the MP – says Michalski, skater from AZS AWF Katowice.
Andżelika Wójcik will take part in the Ice Arena for the second time in less than a week. The nearly 26-year-old sprinter won the PGE Polish Cup in the 500 meters in October. During ranged MP, Wójcik will defend gold for over twice as long.
– There is still a lot to work on in training before the start of the World Cup. I treated my participation in the PGE Polish Cup as a check, and in fact it is only in MP that I will see what my disposition is from a distance – explains Wójcik, who recently changed the colors of the club, returning to MKS Cuprum Lubin from AZS AWF Katowice.
The distance race will start on Thursday, November 3 (competition starts at 3:00 p.m.) and will end on Sunday, November 6. Admission to the competition is free. The live broadcast of the four days of the championship will be available on YouTube, on the PZŁS channel.
The organizer of the distance MP is the Polish Speed Skating Association. The main partner of the competition is PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna, and institutional partners – the Ministry of Sports and Tourism and Tomaszowskie Centrum Sportu, manager of the Tomaszów Mazowiecki ice rink. Partners are 4F, Weron.pl, MCC Medale and Rehasport.
Press release
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