Therese Johaug’s farewell contest became a Norwegian star show. Krista Pärmäkoski broke away from the main group a few kilometers before the goal and fought second. Kerttu Niskanen bowed to Sweden’s Jonna Sundling in the podium battle.
Women’s cross-country skiing has dominated in recent years Therese Johaug ended his career triumphantly in front of a home crowd. The Norwegian star skied to win the World Cup women’s 30-kilometer traditional race at the Holmenkollen in Oslo. Johaug led the race by a landslide, but was in no hurry to cross the finish line, grabbing two Norwegian flags in the final and waving to the home crowd.
Second, skied Krista Pärmäkoski was finally only 19.4 seconds behind Johaug. Kerttu Niskanen fought for the podium finish until the end, but eventually lost to Sweden To Jonna Sundling just over a second and finished fourth.
The podium was the third World Cup season for Pärmäkoski.
– I went downstairs with Kertu. It came straight so I whimpered between my legs that wow, the others are left. I practically ran away from the others, then I was just forced to ski. There was no other tactic anymore when trying to hit everything he could. I thought that yes, it probably weighs on others as well. Yes, I felt it myself. Especially Jonna has become the rest really hard. I was afraid of that, but this time it was enough, Pärmäkoski repeated after the race.
This is how Johaug’s farewell competition progressed
In his farewell race, the Norwegian star beat his rival in the second round and skied the rest of the way alone. At the eight-kilometer break point, Niskanen’s distance from Johaugan was 16.8 seconds and Pärmäkoski’s 17.2 seconds.
After the Johaug ski change, the gap with the main group widened further. At a breakpoint of 16.3 kilometers, Johaug’s difference to the next was 50 seconds, and at a breakpoint of 20 kilometers, the difference had already increased to more than a minute.
In the final round, the Finnish duo tried to shed the main group’s competitors. Pärmäkoski and Niskanen took turns, but the main group caught the duo.
Pärmäkoski, who still complained of fatigue on Friday, broke away from the main group 3.5 kilometers before the finish. He held his position and crossed the finish line second, eventually finishing Johauga in just 19.2 seconds.
However, Johaug was in no hurry to cross the finish line and was left to enjoy the final crowd in front of the home crowd. The difference between the Norwegian star and Pärmäkoski was still more than a minute before the end.
Kerttu Niskanen’s fate was again in fourth place. Niskanen fought for the podium finish until the end, but Sweden’s Jonna Sundling pulled a longer pitch. Niskanen lost to Sundling by 1.5 seconds and was 33.8 seconds behind Johaug.
Johanna Matintalo was 12th (+2.27.8) and Anne Kyllönen 13: s (+2.30.3). Jasmi Joensuu left the tip for five and a half minutes and Eveliina Piippo just over six and a half minutes. Joensuu’s ranking was 35th and Piippon’s 40th.
Johaug also collected maximum points from each bonus point. Johaug leads the World Cup normal travel competition. The overall competition is led by a Russian Natalia Nepryaeva, who is no longer allowed to compete in the World Cup this season.
On Sunday, it will be the men’s 50-kilometer traditional combined race. The competition can be watched on TV2 and Arena tomorrow from 12.55.
There is only one competition left in the World Ski Cup after Holmenkolmen. The International Ski Federation (FIS) announced on Friday that no replacement could be found for the canceled Russian World Cup. So the World Cup season ends next weekend in Falun, Sweden.