For years, Norway has not ranked as badly as in Oberhof’s relay. Finland finished third in the competition.
In Norway, the collapse of the women’s relay team has made big headlines. The team lost more than three minutes to the winning team Sweden and finished fifth.
Before this season, the Norwegian women had won 16 of the previous World Cup relays, 15. In December, in Jällivaara, it was the first time in years without a prize place. Fifth place was the worst ranking for Norwegian women since 2006, when Norway finished seventh.
– This is the picture of Norwegian women’s skiing at the moment, NRK’s expert Fredrik Aukland stated.
He reminded that the Norwegian first team was missing many top skiers, and that affected the result. Among other things Heidi Weng had to miss the message after getting sick. He was replaced by the second team Mathilde Myhrvoldand because of this, Norway did not get the second team in the competition.
Norway competed with a composition Kristin Austgulen’s FosnäsMyhrvold, Margrethe Bergane and Tiril Udnes Weng.
– There is no B-level in Norway now. Norway is either E or F level, if you compare it to Sweden’s A level, NRK’s expert Torgeir Björn downloaded.
Norway fell behind already in the opening section, when Kristin Austgulen Fosnäs came in for a change more than a minute from the lead. The skier was extremely sorry after his part.
– First of all, I feel that I have to apologize to all Norwegians who watched the race. It felt like I was a hamster on a running wheel and I couldn’t get out of it, Fosnäs told Viaplay and apologized for ruining the race of three other skiers.
Myhrvold, who skied after Fosnäs, fell even more off the pace of the top in his own section, as he replaced more than three minutes from Sweden. In the end, the difference at the finish line was 3:40,4.
Sweden also celebrated the victory in Jällivaara and now in Oberhof the team was superior. The team was already 10 seconds away at the first change, and the gap grew steadily. Especially Frida Karlsson’s bet in the second part was wild. Germany at anchor Victoria Carl was able to narrow the gap To Jonna Sundling to 17.5 seconds.
Finland skied the relay without the person who finished third in the traditional 20-kilometer joint start race on Saturday Kerttu from Niska. Johanna Matintalo brought Finland to the exchange as the second, even though he fell on his own part.
Anne Kyllönen fell to Germany by Katharina Hennig off the pace, but was third in the transition. Krista Pärmäkoski kept the ranking the same and Jasmi Joensuu was allowed to anchor in peace in Finland’s third finish.
Urheilu follows Urheilustudio’s weekend in this article.
Women, relay, 4 x 7.5 km (d/v)
1. Sweden 1.21.55,3
Linn Svahn, Frida Karlsson, Ebba Andersson, Jonna Sundling
2. Germany +17.5
Katherine Sauerbrey, Katharina Hennig, Pia Fink, Victoria Carl
3. Finland +2.11,3
Johanna Matintalo, Anne Kyllönen, Krista Pärmäkoski, Jasmi Joensuu
4. Sweden 2 +2.44,8
5. Norway +3.40,4
6. Italy +3.55,2
7. Switzerland +5.22,2
8. France +5.22.5
9. Germany 2 +6.17,7
10. Canada +8.36.1