The cross-country championships will be held in Helsinki this weekend, and the mountain running world championships will be held in Innsbruck, Austria at the beginning of June. Susanna Saapung’s goal is a medal in both competitions.
Endurance athlete Susanna Saapungilla is ahead of the cross-country championships in Paloheinä, Helsinki, on the first weekend of May. Last year, he was third in the SM terrains. The goal now is to brighten up the medal.
– I am in better shape than a year ago. Winter training has been successful according to plans. I don’t know how other women are in shape, but I know that I am in good shape.
Saapung’s training period is over. During the training season, he also had time to compete. In mid-April, he was third in Bergamo, Italy, in a tough 10-kilometer road race. He set his record time there in 33:31.
In mountain running, the main distance is an uphill run
Also ahead are the World Cup mountain running competitions at the beginning of June in Innsbruck, Austria. In the World Championships, Saapung’s main distance is a 7.3 kilometer uphill run. The vertical ascent on the way is 1020 meters.
Mountain running has two different competition formats. One runs up and the other runs both up and down. In the World Championships at the beginning of November, Saapunki climbed the mountain slope sixth best in the world. Running up and down, the distance was 12th fastest in the world.
Susanna Saapung’s main journey in the World Championships in mountain running is the uphill run. In the uphill race, his goal is a medal. When running up and down, the goal is to be among the top ten runners in the world.
The competition at the top is tough and a medal is a tough goal. Susanna Saapunki trusts herself.
– Of course the competition is tough and it really depends on the day who will win, but I was going to do my best, Susanna Saapunki assures.
It’s always nice to come home
Susanna Saapunki, who lives in Italy, came to visit her former hometown in Rovaniemi before the start of the competition season. The last time he was in Rovaniemi was half a year ago.
In Saapung’s opinion, a visit to Rovaniemi is always pleasant, and the many opportunities and services of the Lapland sports college make runners happy.
– My support team is here. I have a physical therapist here and all the testing services.
Among other things, the oxygen uptake test is used to help plan training.
– In the tests that are done at Lapland’s sports institute, we can see if things have developed in the desired direction during the training season, Susanna Saapunki says.