Saturday 4.2. In Toblach, 10 km freestyle skiing competitions, women from 1:55 p.m. and men from 3:55 p.m. On Sunday, the women’s relay at 12:00 and the men’s relay at 13:55. The races are shown on channels.
The last competitions before the World Cup in Planica will be held this weekend. The maintenance team of the national cross country team received an important reinforcement after being sidelined for the early season Heikki Alakärppä returned to real work in Toblach.
– They have years of solid experience. He is such a backbone in maintenance. After the weekend, Heikki will continue to the preparatory camp, and from there to Planica, the maintenance manager of the national team Matti Haavisto sheds light on the situation of an experienced maintenance man.
Lubrication Manager Mika Venäläinen is instead free according to the preliminary plan for this weekend. The maintenance team tries to get all monthly employees at least one free weekend before the World Cup.
Alakärppä has been Finland’s number one skier in recent years Iivo Niskanen personal maintenance man. Before him, the role was played by a Russian.
Also Kerttu Niskanen maintenance man Anders Wilkman has been absent from the strength of the maintenance team this season. According to Ilta-Sanom (you will switch to another service) the absences of both were due to work-related issues.
Wilkman is also now back with the group. Haavisto has not yet revealed who will be responsible for Niskasten’s skis at the World Championships in Planica and during the rest of the season. In addition to his duties as lubrication manager, the Russian has been closely involved in the maintenance of both skis.
– Ultimately, Mika (the Russian) is the right person to decide it. He manages the daily lubrication operations with a service truck. Mika and Vesa Mäkiranta have practically been stalking Heikki while he was away, Haavisto says.
Pressures increase the load
Haavisto thanks the maintenance team of recent years for their commitment. According to him, maintenance has remained healthy and carried out its tasks with discipline.
– There have been very few absences. Hats off.
There are various reasons for the recent absences. The maintenance manager says that one reason has been flus and, for example, the coronavirus, which have been circulating in the maintenance group.
– The mental load of the work is quite heavy. There have been sick leaves for different reasons, Haavisto adds.
He describes that the demands on maintenance men grow as they grow on athletes.
– Every day and weekend should be better than before and better than competitor countries. Coaching and maintenance accumulate pressure on themselves, perhaps even without realizing it, as the athletes are at a higher level. This increases the load, Haavisto estimates.
In addition to the skiers, the tight pace of the competition puts a strain on maintenance. Toblach is the 11th World Cup “race weekend” if the Tour de Ski stages are included. The season started on November 25 in Ruka.
– The pace is extremely tight. Almost all weekends have been three-day weekends, with a long Tour de Ski, says Haavisto.
The World Cup measures maintenance
According to the maintenance manager, skiers have received both good and bad feedback for maintenance during the season. He prefers to leave the assessment of the success of the maintenance to the athletes.
– I would think that more often we have succeeded than failed, Haavisto states.
Planica World Cup skiing is the main goal of the season for many skiers. Haavisto, who already worked as maintenance manager in the 2010s, believes that the maintenance team is ready for the games, which he says will be a tough challenge for maintenance.
– We have done track analyzes and visits to Planica. Are Teemu Lemmettylän managed to get quite good data from there, Haavisto explains.
Planica last competed in the World Cup in December 2019. Haavisto says that most of the current maintenance team was on site at that time. For the World Championships, most of the maintenance team will travel to the venue on February 16. The competitions start on the 22nd.
However, the first “part” of the maintenance is already at the race venue. Haavisto reveals that the national team’s grinding wagon was taken to Planica on Friday.
– In terms of success in the World Championships, it is important that we get a good start and finish all the planned test sessions. On the 17th, we are already in full swing, Haavisto opens.
Saturday 4.2. In Toblach, 10 km freestyle skiing competitions, women from 1:55 p.m. and men from 3:55 p.m. On Sunday, the women’s relay at 12:00 and the men’s relay at 13:55. The races are shown on channels.