Ski manufacturer attacks Horngacher – Kraft also involved
Dawid Kubacki, Piotr Zyla, and also Stefan Kraft were reportedly considering Slatnar skis. Manufacturer Peter Slatnar is now making serious allegations.
Ski manufacturer Slatnar, which already equips several ski jumping athletes such as Domen Prevc, was set to add several new signings ahead of the new season. However, three high-profile athletes ultimately turned them down.
Horngacher advised his athletes against Slatnar
Polish duo Dawid Kubacki and Piotr Zyla were reportedly close to making a switch. The manufacturer holds Austrian Stefan Horngacher responsible for the deal falling through; Horngacher now serves as training coordinator for the Polish ski jumping team.
Speaking to the newspaper "Dnevnik", manufacturer Peter Slatnar confirmed: "I can confirm that it was Horngacher who told Zyla and Kubacki to forget about our skis."
Both athletes had previously completed training jumps on the Slovenian brand's skis before the Austrian persuaded them otherwise. Kubacki has since switched to Fischer.
Kraft was also close to a switch
Austrian star Stefan Kraft also made jumps on Slatnar skis over the summer, but ultimately opted for Biogena. Van Deer is the manufacturer of Biogena ski jumping skis.
"Kraft jumped brilliantly on our skis all summer. He also took part in a few competitions and was ahead of the competition," Slatnar explained.
Slatnar cited a possible reason for Kraft's decision to go with another manufacturer: "Then Biogena came into play, his long-time personal sponsor. Apparently, they reached some sort of incentive agreement to persuade him to make that decision."
How Kraft will fare with his new skis will be revealed very soon. The new Ski Jumping World Cup season kicks off on November 20, with Lillehammer as the first stop.
