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It is one of the rarities for a coach on the national jumping team to retire mid-season. Even less going on the day. And at least not during a Ski World Cup.
But this is exactly what happened in Planica on Saturday. Slovenia’s coach Gorazd Bertoncelj (44) finished after the brawl with one of his own jump shots, Timi Zajc (20).
On Friday, Zajc posted a devastating post on Instagram (below) where he massacred the coach and held him responsible for the Slovenians’ poor results this season. He himself had a miserable day on the slopes. Zajc was in 27th place after two out of four jumps at the World Ski Flying Championships and he was more than dissatisfied.
Then the commotion began.
“Unfortunately, it all fell apart today,” he wrote.
– I have trained all summer to fly towards the bottom line. I think the coach has to take a lot of responsibility here, said Zajc.
– I want the coach to take responsibility for the poor results of the Slovenian jumpers. We all want a medal. But as it has been for the last two years, my performance has dropped. I can only say thank you and goodbye.
GIVE UP: Gorazd Bertoncelj. Photo: NTB
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To his 24,500 Instagram followers, Zajc made it clear that he would no longer be under the direction of coach Gorazd Bertoncelj. This despite the fact that there were two rounds of the World Cup left.
But on Saturday the bomb exploded: Bertoncelj exploded that day. The Slovenian World Cup scandal was a fact. Bertoncelj was temporarily replaced by assistant Robert Hrgota.
The dismissal occurred as a consequence of the “public execution”. Teammates Domen Prevc and Tilen Bartol were among those who marked the Instagram post with a “like.”
– It’s hard for me that this happens in Planica. But sometimes you have to make decisions. And we have made a decision, said the Slovenian association jump leader Ljubo Jasnic at a press conference on Saturday.
Historic World Cup gold after the drama
The noise shook crazy Slovenia. In Planica, there would normally be between 30,000 and 40,000 viewers on the weekend and a cook from a witch’s pot.
Now 20-year-old Zajc apologizes for going out the way he did.
– I apologize to everyone for whom I ruined the championship, he says through his club, SSK Ljubno, according to the Ekipa24 newspaper.
– The words were said with affection after a great emotional slump as a result of my jumps. After a sleepless night, it became clear to me that the claim was exaggerated, he admits.
– I want to pay tribute to the organizers and the people who stood up despite a difficult situation (with covid-19) and created good conditions on the slopes.
No goals after shock jump
The club also apologizes for the jumper’s behavior. Zajc makes it clear that he wants to continue the season. But what happens next is up to the Slovenian federation.
The possibility that the coach will return is, for his part, small, according to the Slovenian media.
Slovenia dreamed of World Cup gold at home. The best jumper in the individual ski flight race was Anze Lanisek with 12th place on Saturday. Sunday’s team competition finished with 4th place.
In Slovenian conditions, this is a failure.
On the other hand:
In the Norwegian camp, there is peace and harmony, is clear from Dagbladet’s conversation with sports director Clas Brede Bråthen.
Halvor Egner Granerud’s individual silver medal on Saturday and team gold on Sunday made it a canonical World Cup.
The jumpers have even posted a video of the celebration on social media.
The Norwegians have now traveled to Engelberg in Switzerland.
Mens:
Robert Johansson and Johann André Forfang made a quick trip to Norway, before joining the rest of the team on Thursday. Then Marius Lindvik will also return. He dropped out of the World Ski Flight Championships because he did not feel safe in the form of the monstrous Slovenian hill.
