Tine Urnaut chasing down Domen Prevc’s World record in Planica

Slovenia’s national team captain, Tine Urnaut, took on a special challenge in the ski flying Mecca of Planica, Slovenia. He symbolically served the ball all the way to the ski jumping world record of 254.5 metres held by local icon Domen Prevc – and he was successful!

Planica is more than just a valley in the Julian Alps; it is a monument to human daring and the real ‘Cradle of Ski Flying’. This Alpine arena has seen the boundaries of physics pushed further and further. While former Slovenian ski jumping star Peter Prevc was the first human to fly to the 250-metre milestone in 2015, his younger siblings have since redefined the limits on the Gorišek Brothers’ hill. 

Domen Prevc sent the home crowd into a frenzy by soaring to 254.5 metres in 2025 and setting the current world record, while Nika Prevc landed a 242.5-metre flight this past Friday at the Ski Flying World Cup. She not only set a new women’s world record but also marked the first time a female athlete flew past the 240-metre barrier in Planica.

In a unique crossover between winter sports and Volleyball, Planica briefly became a ‘court’ for the Slovenian national team’s captain, Tine Urnaut, who performed a ceremonial serve from the 200-metre line, sending the ball all the way to Domen Prevc’s world record distance. This spectacular feat served as a great way to promote Volleyball by bridging the gap between the court and the mountains.

Urnaut is this year’s ambassador for the ‘Botrstvo v športu’ project, which helps young athletes from socially disadvantaged backgrounds realise their dreams and achieve a better life through sports. This charitable serve also announced the start of ticket sales for the next spectacle – a Volleyball exhibition match to be held on June 1 in Tivoli Hall in Ljubljana.

There will actually be two matches: in a friendly encounter at 20:30, Slovenia will face Serbia, while at 18:45, a unique Volleyball All-Star match will take place led by Mitja Gasparini and Dejan Vinčić. These former Slovenian national team players will each gather well-known Slovenian athletes and celebrities on their respective side of the net. All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the ‘Botrstvo v športu’ (Sponsorship in Sport) project under the dedicated leadership of Urnaut.

Urnaut is currently contesting the semis of the men’s CEV Cup with ACH Volley LJUBLJANA – with the return match versus Italy’s Gas Sales Bluenergy PIACENZA scheduled for later this week in the Slovenian capital city.