Peter Prevc proved in Lahti that you can't force a good jump

Tried everything with Domen, but things simply didn't work

7. marec 2017 ob 11.34 • MMC RTV SLO

Coach Goran Janus explained Domen Prevc's crisis: "He's a 17-year-old. If you know how much travel there is from the beginning of November until the end of the season… Foto: www.alesfevzer.com

Lahti cut the wings of Slovenia's eagles once again. This was the second time for Slovenia's ski jumpers to return from a Nordic World Ski Championship without a medal. They did not even come close to winning the precious snowflake medals.

"If we talk about our specific goals, in the individual events that's to have one placement among the top six, then one more in the top 15 and another among the top 30. In the team and mixed team events our goal is to make it in the top five," is what Slovenia's head coach Goran Janus said before the team's departure for Finland. In the last couple of seasons our ski jumpers have spoiled us with their good results, which is why the public always has high expectations. The goals that were set for Lahti were modest but realistic, taking into account the results of this year's season and the many ups and downs.
Slovenia's jumpers fulfilled the set goals in both of the team events; they came in fifth in the team event and fourth in the mixed team event featuring two male and two female jumpers. The teams could not have really placed any lower, considering the strength of the competition. In the mixed team event Norway, which lacked a quality female jumper, placed behind Slovenia. Meanwhile in the team event Slovenia was closer to its pursuers, which don't have enough quality jumpers and are not even competitive in the Nations Cup, than to the top four teams.

Janus expected more from the individual events
"In the team and mixed team events our goal was to finish in the top five. It was difficult to win a medal, although we did believe it could happen. The teams in front were simply better. Individually I did expect more from Peter and for more of our jumpers to make it in the final," Janus said after the championships. Answering a question about the reason for the poor form, Janus said: "We could probably count ten reasons but not find the right one".

Coach Janus also explained Domen Prevc's crisis: "He's a 17-year-old. If you know how much travel there is from the beginning of November until the end of the season… Perhaps he should have stayed at home after Oberstdorf. Domen's goals for this season were the ski flying events. That really tempted him, but I'm not sure he was that excited about Lahti. We tried everything, but things simply didn't work."