In the papers of the Norwegian skiing experts, the Finnish women do not fit into the top three at the opening of the World Cup on Friday.
In recent years, the competitive intermediate start in the traditional way of skiing has been a success for Finnish skiers.
Last season, three of the five World Cup races ended with Finnish celebrations. Kerttu Niskanen won two and Krista Pärmäkoski one race. In addition Johanna Matintalo made it to the podium once.
When last time the prize race medals were skied with the traditional skiing method in the 10 kilometer intermediate start, no less than two Finns won the medals. It was about the Beijing Olympics, where Norway bid farewell to the prestigious Games Therese Johaug defeated Niskanen and Pärmäkoski in the gold fight.
The same trip will be on Friday at the World Cup in Ruka. There, Johaug returns to the international racetracks after a two-year hiatus from competition. A week ago, he was the fastest in the Norwegian inspection race organized in Beitostölen. Johaug struck out the runner-up by Heidi Weng by almost 40 seconds.
Johaug’s presentation sparked laudatory reviews and predictions in the fjord region. According to the wildest estimates, the skiing queen is back and the others are at best only silver.
When Urheilu asked Norwegian skiing experts for their opinion on the top three of Ruka’s intermediate start, the respondents were unanimous that Johaug will ski in the top three.
Instead, only one of the four respondents believed that Johaug would win on Friday. He was a top researcher used by the Norwegian cross country team Öyvind Sandbakk.
Multiple prize winner and former head coach of the Norwegian national team Tor Arne Hetland your name as the winning candidate Victoria Carlin. The German beat Kerttu Niskanen two weeks ago in Olos by 38 seconds.
Hetland beat Ruka’s victory fight even.
– Victoria beats Therese by 0.2 seconds.
Finland’s former head coach Magnar Dale and five-time world champion Odd-Björn Hjelmeset flagged the Swede Ebba Andersson for profit.
In the papers of none of the Norwegian experts mentioned above, Finnish female skiers did not fit into the top three.
However, Hetland and Sandbakk later on on Friday, the men’s race on the turn, pleased the home crowd. Hetland guessed Iivo Niskanen win, Sandbakk third place again.
Dalen and Hjelmeset did not set out to evaluate who will form the top three in the men’s race. However, they anticipate that the battle for the podium will be a celebration for their compatriots.
Last season, the Norwegian men dominated the traditional skied intermediate starts by taking four out of five World Cup competition victories and 11/15 podium finishes.
This is how Hetland, Sandbakk, Dalen and Hjelmeset evaluate the balance of power for Friday’s games.
Tor Arne Hetland
Women’s race:
1) Victoria Carl
2) Therese Johaug
3) Frida Karlsson
Men’s race:
1) Iivo Niskanen
2) Johannes Hösflot Kläbo
3) Harald Östberg Amundsen
Iivo wins by 2.3 seconds.
Tor Arne Hetland
Öyvind Sandbakk
Women’s race:
1) Therese Johaug
2) Ebba Andersson
3) Frida Karlsson
Men’s race:
1) Johannes Hösflot Kläbo
2) Martin Nyenget
3) Iivo Niskanen
Magnar Dale
Dalen’s assessment of the women’s race:
1) Ebba Andersson
2) Therese Johaug
3) Victoria Carl
Kerttu is fourth. Judging the men’s competition is more difficult. I hope that Iivo will be able to give the Norwegians a hard time and that the young men of Finland will show their skills.
Magnar Dale
Odd-Björn Hjelmeset
Hjelmeset’s assessment of the women’s race:
1) Ebba Andersson
2) Therese Johaug
3) Frida Karlsson
shows both intermediate results on the TV2 channel. The broadcast of the women’s race starts on Friday at 10:55 a.m. and the men’s at 1:35 p.m. The races are also live in Areena.