Kerttu Niskanen won 30 kilometers of Finnish Championship gold with a difference of more than three minutes to Johanna Matintalo. Niskanen would have liked Krista Pärmäkoski to the starting line. Pärmäkoski was on the sidelines due to the fever.
Sakari Lund,
Laura Arffman,
Riku Salminen
Kerttu Niskanen was in a class of its own in the women’s 30 km traditional cross-country skiing competition in Rovaniemi. Krista Pärmäkoski to freeze out due to fever remember there was no resistance for Niskanen.
From the beginning, Niskanen was at his own pace. Profit margin for second place Johanna Matintalo was over three minutes, exactly 3.07.4. Bronze took over Jasmi Joensuuwho lost to Matintalo in less than half a minute.
The fourth was Katri LylynperäFifth Anni Kainulainen and in the sixth Jasmin Kähärä.
– Didn’t have to put everything in the game. It felt easy and the ski worked well. It would have been nice to fight for the championship a little harder today, greetings to Krista, I would have put up a good resistance today, Niskanen said.
Matintalo said the extensor muscles in his upper arms had cramped at the end.
– I’m not terribly happy. Kerttu was in his own class and I wouldn’t have been able to do anything for him even on a peak day, but maybe he had a long delicate ski and I got up on the hills, Matintalo explained.
Matintalo said his term is ending today.
– Definitely the best season of my career. The first podium in his career at the World Cup. The Olympics had a slightly bitter taste, Matintalo summed up his season.
Neck superiority?
Men’s competition is expected Iivo Niskasen superiority. However, the siblings have no competition as to which one wins by the bigger margin.
– Iivo has an advantage when he has a longer trip, Niskanen laughed at the question about the competition within the family.
Niskanen will continue directly to Lapponia skiing, where there will be 60, 50 and 80 kilometers ahead from tomorrow.
Niskanen’s husband-coach Juho Mikkonen shouted “seven minutes to summer vacation” along the track, but withdrew his words after the race.
– I cheated a little on that summer vacation. Tomorrow to Lapponia.
Niskanen is happy to go on long trips.
– It’s always a good idea to go. I’m just going there to have fun.
“The dream of many years came true”
Niskane has an excellent season behind him, culminating in the Beijing Olympics with 10 miles of traditional silver and 30 miles of free bronze.
– I am really pleased that the dream of many years came true. In addition, the World Cup became a race victory with Iivo on the same day. A lot of memorable stuff has happened this winter.
Niskanen, 33, his career continues and he is still working with the coach to make progress.
– We now have a template with which Kerttu practices and it has a result. My job is to think about how I can get even better from my own athlete next season, Mikkonen said.
Joensuu won the overall race
Jasmi Joensuu secured the victory in the overall competition of the Finnish Cup when Krista Pärmäkoski did not start.
– I wouldn’t have thought there would be a medal today, but it started to go well. It felt quite comfortable to ski. Really good encouragement, Joensuu said.
During the Joensuu season, a few important races were ruined due to a stick break or a crash, but at the end of the season, Joensuu did not want to remember these.
Joensuu said that winning the Finnish Cup overall competition means that he has developed into an even more versatile skier.