The intermediate start skied in Ruka on Friday was a rare superior performance from the Swedish star.
46.5 seconds.
That’s the difference, which one Frida Karlsson squatted the runner-up Therese Johaugia in the women’s intermediate start on Friday.
Supremacy was of a rare quality in the women’s World Cup 10 km intermediate starts, the results of which can be found on the FIS website of the International Ski Federation since the early 1990s.
When the best countries have been there with their best composition, Johaug is the only skier who has been superior to Karlsson – and the Norwegian only once.
This happened on January 20, 2019 at the age of 10 in Otepää. In that race, Johaug beat Sweden, who finished second Ebba Andersson in 48.4 seconds.
Officially, the largest margin of victory in women’s World Cup history in the 10 km split start belongs to the Czech Republic Katerina Neumannova on behalf of.
Neumannova was first with a difference of one minute and 8.5 seconds in the intermediate start of the World Cup 10 kilometers skied in Chengchun, China on February 16, 2007.
However, the race was overshadowed by numerous absences. France finished second in the competition Karine Laurent Philippot and thirdly Kazakhstan Svetlana Malakhova Shishkina. Fourth on the list of results was China Liu Yuanyuanwhose second best ranking in the World Cup was 25th.
Rare margins
In women’s World Cup races skied with an intermediate start, victory margins of more than 40 seconds are generally very unusual.
In more than 30 years, in addition to Karlsson and Johaug, Finland has been able to achieve similar superiority Virpi Sarasvuo (born Kuitunen) and Norwegians Bente Skari (born Martinsen) and Marit Björgen. Skari was able to do the trick twice in his career in 2000 and 2001.
On the other hand, Johaug has won the time-based ten by more than 40 seconds no less than four times.
Johaug favorite?
Norwegian experts described Karlsson’s victory on Friday in their country’s media as shocking and knocking.
On Sunday, Ruka will have 20 kilometer joint starts in free skiing. Worked as Finland’s head coach in 2006–2014 Magnar Dale considers Johaug to be the pre-favorite of the women’s race.
This happened despite the fact that a week ago in the inspection race in Beitostölen, Johaug suffered a loss of 0.4 seconds to his compatriot For Heidi Weng.
– It was snowing in Beitostölen, and the snow was soft. Ruka’s steep hills suit Therese, Dalen told Urheilu.
He predicted Johaug to win before Weng and Ebba Andersson.
In terms of skiing, the Ruka World Cup culminates in the 20 kilometer (v) joint start race on Sunday. The men’s race starts at 10:30 a.m. and the women’s race at 12:25 p.m.
You can find everything about Ruka’s games and the lively Urheilustudio weekend in this follow-up article.
Edit at 8.55am: Edited the end of the article. The original text talked about Karlsson’s chances on Sunday, but he will not participate in the race.