In Finnish cross-country skiing, we are almost dependent on men in a way, writes Urheilu’s editor Joel Sippola.
Joel Sippola sports reporter
Four Olympics and six World Championships. The Finnish men’s ski relay team spent so many prestigious competitions without a medal.
The streak that lasted 14 years ended a year ago, when the young Niko Anttola elegantly anchored Finland’s World Cup silver in Planica’s 4×10 kilometer relay.
You can already promise that the next relay medal won’t take as long. Next year’s World Cup in Trondheim has the material for the birth of even a small pipe. That’s how good the situation seems after this ski season.
Urheilu’s expert and Finland’s second most recent men’s relay medalist Ville Nousiainen has highlighted Finland’s wide level in men’s normal trips several times in this season’s broadcasts.
Iivo Niskanen is still the only realistic hope for a medal for Finnish men on individual trips, but considering relay medals, the quality and breadth are sufficient.
many options
Let’s start with the Finnish sensation of the winter, who achieved his first podium finish in his career Lauri Vuoristen. The 28-year-old from Rovaniemi is basically known as a tough sprinter, but at the latest the current season has shown that the man is a great all-around skier at his best.
At the Tour de Ski, he was responsible for the best normal distance ranking of his career, being 12th in the pursuit race in Davos. On the backstroke, he was able to do the same for 20 kilometers and even in heavy weather.
Vuorinen would be a key choice for the opening section. He can ski well in a group, but as a sprinter he is capable of hard jerks. On the other hand, as the master of the tough Kiri, Vuorinen could be the solution for the anchor section, for which it has been difficult to find a suitable skier in Finland.
Among the skiers of Finland’s dominant World Cup silver team Cross mat Hakola is also a capable starter when healthy. Iivo Niskanen has cemented his position as a second-rate worker who can make important decisions.
Achieved the first victory of his career this season Perttu Hyvärinen is in top condition, a valuable loop with three sections.
On the other hand, Niko Anttola, who took a kind of defensive victory from his season ravaged by illness, is a super talent who may be able to develop into a key player like Niskanen in the next few years.
Fell wildly at the World Championships last season Arsi Ruuskanen was in excellent shape at his best and excelled in the ascent of Alpe Cermis, although the starting points for the winter were not favorable due to injury. The youth World Cup winner, who enjoys difficult terrains, could become a skier who often knocks on the top 10 places with an intact training season.
Having fun on free outings together Remi Lindholm the level fluctuates a lot. However, he has the potential to be a tough skier of the last sections.
Other valid alternatives are Holmenkollen, who achieved his best World Cup ranking in the 50 km race Lauri Lepistö and defeating Finland’s top men from time to time Markus Vuorela. There’s plenty of room to break.
Depends on the men
In the prestigious competitions of the 21st century, Finnish eyes have almost always turned to the women’s relay. Since the 2007 World Championships in Sapporo, the women’s relay team has won no fewer than eight relay medals. During the same period, the men’s corresponding balance is two medals.
Provided Krista Pärmäkoski continue his career, his, Kerttu Niskanen and Johanna Matintalo with this, Finnish women can even fight for relay gold at the World Championships in Trondheim. However, it is difficult to get new hard standard distance skiers into Finnish women’s skiing.
When Niskanen and Pärmäkoski finish, the situation swings the other way in terms of messages. The women’s team begins a long period without a medal, while the men’s team is the one that can create medal pressure from one prestige race to another.