There is plenty to be excited about at the Tampere Championship this weekend. There are many top skiers in the country who have not been seen on the race track for a while.
The contribution is also clear. Based on the Tampere WC, places will be allocated for next weekend’s World Cup in France. The World Cup weekend in question is, for example, the last screen for the Finnish sprinters at the Planica World Championships held at the turn of February-March.
Head coach of the national team Teemu Pasanen told STT at the beginning of the week (you will switch to another service), that Tampere is sharing places with France, especially in the SC sprint races. In Tampere, sprint skiing is done using traditional skiing, just like in France and Planica.
However, the conditions of the Tampere WC have been talking a lot lately. The 1.6 kilometer sprint track does not garner praise from Urheilu’s skiing expert either From Kalle Lassila.
– The sprint track is, to put it simply, bad. There will certainly be very entertaining competitions and tough battles for SM medals. However, the track is quite gentle. In practice, the finish line is counted down from the halfway point of the course. There really isn’t an ending. The slip of the skis and the technical and tactical successes of the downhill section really affect the final result of the competition, says Lassila.
According to Lassila, of course, in the World Cup in France and the World Championships in Planica, technical and tactical factors are part of the sprinter’s prevention, but to utilize them requires a strong capacity for skiing.
– It is not measured in the best possible way on the track in Tampere, says Lassila.
According to Lassila, however, the good thing is that those fighting for the French competition spots can be seen in the same place at the same time at the starting line.
– However, chance is quite important this weekend. The course may not suit everyone equally. Strengths and weaknesses will presumably emerge in a different way than in international competitions, Lassila states.
However, the expert trusts that the Finnish coaching staff has an eye for the game in the selections.
– There is no way Tampere will directly qualify skiers for the WC sprint. I also believe that in the French World Cup selections, the coaching management will take into account the performances of this season and the previous season, says Lassila.
Who have already given the MM screens?
Lassila sees that from the male sprinters On Joni Mäki and Niilo Moilasen already has very strong performances for the World Cup. Lauri Vuorinen Lassila also considers the World Championship displays to be strong. Then, in his opinion, there is a really big group of other skiers who want to show that they are fit for France and thus the World Championships.
There is a similar situation on the women’s side. Lassila especially expects to see Johanna Matintalo in the present tense. Matintalo finished third in the traditional sprint at the Beitostölen World Cup. He has also been included among the medal candidates for the World Championships. Jasmi Joensuu has also, according to the expert’s opinion, been on a good pace this season towards the main goal of the season.
Jasmin Kähärä according to Lassila, has also given good WC displays. However, Kähärä will no longer compete in France, as he will go to the World Youth Skiing Championships right after the World Championships on Monday.
– There are several women who have skied in the 20-30 sprint in the World Cup. There, too, we are fighting for places towards the last place on the screen, Lassila states.
What to watch in Iivo and Kerttu Niskanen’s absence?
The SC championships are really only missing the sharpest end Kerttu and Iivo Niskanen. Iivo Niskanen told Urheilu on Thursday that he will skip the weekend’s WC medal fights as a precaution.
Kerttu Niskanen on the other hand, justified his absence from the beginning of the week For Helsingin Sanomat (you will switch to another service) so that he needs a good training session in between.
On the normal trips of Saturday’s freestyle skiing, all eyes are focused Krista Pärmäkoski. Along with Niskaste, Pärmäkoski, who is one of Finland’s top names, had a hard time at the Tour de Ski at the turn of the year, but he had to stop right before the final weekend due to a stomach ailment.
Pärmäkoski took his first podium places of the season and was in strong positions in the podium fight of the entire tour.
Lassila is looking forward to the current atmosphere of Pärmäkoski, representing IIkaalist Athletes, with great interest.
– I don’t remember many situations in my career as a commentator when I would have been as disappointed as when Krista got sick at the Tour de Ski. Krista’s last competition performances showed such enthusiasm, joy and self-confidence that she is about to take off this season, Lassila said.
– Now it would be extremely important that Krista be able to give a convincing performance in front of the home crowd.
On the men’s side, Lassila is especially waiting Remi Lindholm and Arsi Ruuskanen performances. They have also been speculated to be part of the relay team for the World Championships.
According to Lassila, one can see some signals from the performances of Lindholm and Ruuskanen on Saturday, thinking about the World Cup.
– The tracks and the level of competition are not quite the same as in the World Championships. On normal trips, however, you ski with endurance features. If Lindholm and Ruuskanen can clearly stand out from the others, it is known that they are well on their way to the relay skiing goal at the World Championships, says Lassila.
The SC championships get going on Friday with pair sprints. Lassila is looking forward to an exciting fight for SM medals and a celebration of club activities. The opening of the SM weekend has a clear difference from the other shots of the weekend.
– That’s where we are most present in the moment. Not looking so strongly towards anything to come. No screens or anything similar are given, Lassila states.
Friday 20.1.
12:00 p.m. Qualifiers for pairprints (free)
14.00 Parisprint finals (free)
Saturday 21.1.
09.20 M 15 km, split start (free)
11.40 N 10 km, split start (free)
Sunday 22.1.
9.00 Sprint, qualifying (traditional)
10.45 Sprint, heat stage and finals (traditional)
Weekend sports broadcasts on :
Friday 20.1.
02.55 Arena Freestyle World Cup, Calgary, freeski halfpipe
12.25 TV2 Alpine Skiing World Cup, Kitzbühel, men’s downhill
13.45 TV2 SM skiing, Tampere, pair sprints. At 1:55 pm Puhe.
15.00 TV2 Freestyle World Cup, Calgary, freeski halfpipe, summary
15.25 TV2 Biathlon World Cup, Anterselva, men’s sprint
17:40 Areena Salibandy Suomen cup, Hämeenlinna, women’s semi-final Classic–TPS, at 18:00 on TV2.
18.00 Puhe, Ice hockey tour
20.55 Areena, Floorball Finland cup, women’s semi-final SB-Pro–EräViikingit
Saturday 21.1.
09.15 Areena SC cross-country skiing, Tampere, 15 km (W), men
09.45 Puhe SM skiing, Tampere, 15 km (V), men
10.00 TV2 Sports studio
10.05 TV2 SM skiing, Tampere, 15 km (V), men
11.40 Sports studio
11.40 Areena Salibandy Suomen cup, Hämeenlinna, men’s semi-final Classic – Nokian KrP
11.50 TV2 SM skiing, Tampere 10 km (V), women
12.25 Arena Alpine Skiing World Cup, Kitzbühel, men’s plunge
13.15 Sports studio
13.20 TV2 Alpine Skiing World Cup, Kitzbühel, men’s downhill
13.50 Sports studio
13.55 TV2 Biathlon World Cup, Anterselva, women’s pursuit
14.10 Arena Skiing World Cup, Livigno, sprint competitions (v)
14.10 Arena Snowboarding World Cup, Laax, slopestyle
14.40 TV2 Combined World Cup, Klingenthal, men HS 140 hill
15.10 Arena Salibandy Suomen cup, Hämeenlinna, men’s semi-final OLS – M-Team
15.35 TV2 Snowboarding World Cup, Laax, slopestyle
15.55 TV2 Biathlon World Cup, Anterselva, men’s pursuit
16.00 Speech Ice hockey round
16.45 Sports studio
16.55 TV2 Combined World Cup, Klingenthal, men’s 10 km skiing
17.30 TV2 Sports studio
17.45 TV2 Skiing World Cup, Livigno, sprints (v)
18.25 Arena Snowboarding World Cup, Laax, halfpipe
18.30 TV2 Floorball Suomen cup, Hämeenlinna, women’s final
Sunday 22.1.
10.30 TV2 Sports studio
10:40 a.m. TV2 and Puhe SC skiing, Tampere, sprints (P)
10.58 TV1 Combined World Cup, Kligenthal, men HS 140 hill
11.25 Arena Alpine Skiing World Cup, Kitzbühel, men’s slalom
12.40 TV2 Biathlon World Cup, Anterselva, women’s relay
14.00 TV2 Combined World Cup, Klingenthal, men’s 10 km skiing
14.10 Arena Skiing World Cup, Livigno, pair sprints (v)
14.10 Arena Freestyle World Cup, Laax, slopestyle
14.30 TV2 Alpine Skiing World Cup, Kitzbühel, men’s slalom
15:30 TV2 Biathlon World Cup, Anterselva, men’s relay
16.55 TV2 Floorball Finnish Cup, Hämeenlinna, men’s final