Valtteri Pennanen, 22, found himself in a tough spot: “Hirvitti” – received simple advice from Iivo Niskanes | Sport

Valtteri Pennanen22, heard a few days ago that he is skiing in pairs sprint at the Vantaa Skiing Championships Iivo Niskanen with. The young skier from the Puijo Ski Club considered the situation a great opportunity to succeed, after all, he himself was in good shape, but in addition to feeling confident, he was nervous.

– There was pressure, but I was able to handle it fairly well, Pennanen admitted at the Hakunila ski stadium after the race.

The three-time Olympic champion did not share worse advice. “It’s going well,” Niskanen said to Pennane, and he was right. The two didn’t like the tactics meeting about the race either, because they were of the opinion that they know how to ski, and it doesn’t take anything amazing.

In the morning, however, Pennanen noticed that the two previous race days weighed on his legs and he felt tired.

– It was a bit scary how it started today, but the going got better in the final. It was meant that I wouldn’t keep the pace, but the peesa. We bet that Rise (Cross mat Hakola) makes an impact in the second leg, Pennanen said.

– I tried to catch up, but no one else kept up. However, the group was dispersed. With the wrong part, what could be taken was taken. I just couldn’t keep up with Imatra. You should have stayed there if you wanted a brighter medal.

Pennanen had to worry at the finish line about how the medal fight would go. Niskanen was closely chasing the second-placed Imatra Athletes and From Miro Karpa, but didn’t catch on. Pennanen trusted Niskas, and when the announcer said that three teams were separated, he knew he was a medalist.

– This is my first adult WC medal. There are a couple of medals from the youth series, so this is a big deal for me.

It was a shame about the neck: “Let’s talk later”

Niskas has SC medals for sale, but the bronze medal was enough. Instead, he was saddened by the fact that he didn’t get to use his number one pair of skis in the race. He received conflicting information from the race organizers about whether he is allowed to change skis during the race.

– Let’s go and test with Valtteri and we’ll talk later. I got close to Miro, but it wasn’t the end of the load, Niskanen stated.

Karpanen knew that Niskanen was coming from behind, because he saw the figure from Kuopio approaching in the countdown. Karpanen put everything on the line.

– There was no wonder when there was so much lactic acid in the thigh, Karppanen said and told that the SM medal from two years ago tastes better.

At that time, Karppanen defeated in the final fight Joni Mäen.

– It was my first WC gold in the general series, it came in a clean finish and still in Imatra on my home field.

Jämi’s championship tactics were refined a couple of weeks ago

Jämin Jänte’s championship tactics had already been honed well in advance, because Lauri Lepistö and Ristomatti Hakola did a sprint training together in Hakunila already a couple of weeks ago.

– “Rise” said that he will leave immediately in the first round. I said not on the first one, that you don’t need to ski alone for three laps, Lepistö laughed.

Hakola then ended up making his shot at the rise of the second round, where his bravura streak began. He was able to hit a smooth uphill forehand.

– Team leader of Jänte Asko Uurasjärvi went to draw a line and that’s where we started, Hakola said.

Lepistö admitted that in the morning the competitive mood was not the best possible, because a man who was pickled by the race weekend got out of bed. Even the night sleep was less than five hours.

– It felt bad, but I felt good in the race. Risto’s preliminary work could not be completed.