A last chance to show off in the 10 kilometer skate – then only one of the trio Eveliina Piippo, Jasmi Joensuu and Anne Kyllönen was satisfied with her effort. The happiest of all was Krista Pärmäkoski.
There have certainly been question marks surrounding Krista Pärmäkoski recently.
The form has not been present in the World Cup – on the contrary, Pärmäkoski has even been forced to withdraw from some competitions as the body did not react as desired.
Given that there are still barely three weeks left until the World Ski Championships in Planica, today’s 10 kilometer freestyle was by no means a decisive indication of how high to raise medal expectations, but Pärmäkoski still delivered.
Pärmäkoski was the fastest of all Finns in the competition and finished ninth – 47.3 seconds slower than Ebba Andersson who took her third straight victory in the World Cup.
– There were no superpowers at the end, but I also had no back to aim for. I tried to start slowly and was surprised by how big the distances were. But it was a challenging race both because of the weather and the track layout itself. You had to play artist, she explains in Yle’s television interview afterwards.
– The most important thing is that the form feels much better now, she adds.
Niskanen avoided disaster…
Kerttu Niskanen is above all a medal candidate in the classic three-mile. She also said before the competition weekend in Italian Toblach that she was mostly looking for “good feelis” on the track.
Niskanen could say that she got after a twelfth place in Saturday’s competition.
– I might have wished for a slightly better result, but I’m not going to keep my mouth shut. This is not a disaster, Niskanen states casually.
If everything goes as expected during the coming upload weeks, Pärmäkoski and Niskanen are given in the Finnish quartet that runs the route also in Planica.
This means in plain language that there are two tickets left to take, three of the hottest candidates were also in the competition on Saturday: Eveliina Piippo, Jasmi Joensuu and Anne Kyllönen.
… Piippo best of the rest
Of them, Piippo was the strongest. The former IK Kronan and IF Åsarna skater secured a 24th place with a “tough” effort, as she herself calls it.
– Nothing new under the Italian sun compared to how it was in France last weekend. My second lap worked well, I would have been pissed if we only did five kilometers.
When asked what the competition could mean for a possible WC ticket:
– I could drive relaxed. I am not at all worried about my place in the World Cup squad.
Eveliina Piippo looks set to take a place in the WC.
Image: IMAGO/motivio/ All Over Press
Eveliina Piippo,cross-country skiing,skiing disciplines,Nordic skiing,cross-country skiing ladies
Jasmi Joensuu is not as relaxed. She already said before Saturday’s competition that she is “forced” to stand up. It was a choice of words she admitted she regretted after Saturday’s 31st place finish.
– That’s not really what I meant. But the stakes were high. Maybe that’s why I took too hard at the beginning and then hooked on the second lap. That in and of itself is quite typical for me on this stretch, says Joensuu.
Anne Kyllönen was in turn the worst Finn in the competition in 42nd place. Emmi Lämsä finished 37th and beat Kyllönen by ten seconds.
– It has been difficult ever since the FM weekend in Tampere. Incredibly bad timing considering the WC. I have to talk to both the doctor and the trainers to find out how we proceed now. I won’t get up to my own level if it’s not a sprint, says Kyllönen.
Who runs the baton?
The World Cup weekend ends with relays on Sunday. It is still unclear what Finland’s team will look like in the World Cup general competition, the responsible coach of the women’s national team, Jussi Piirainen, tells Yle after the competition.
And the riders’ åkivs:
– I like to drive a classic route, says Krista Pärmäkoski.
– We’ll see, says Kerttu Niskanen.
And those who are not given in the WC team?
– I had set myself up to run two races here. Now I have already done it. So let’s see, says Jasmi Joensuu.
– My form is absolutely enough for that, but we’ll see if the coaches trust me, states Eveliina Piippo.
Skiing World Cup, 10 km, freestyle:
1. Ebba Andersson, SWE 23.24,7
2. Jessie Diggins, USA + 13.3
3. Ingvild Flugstad Østberg, NOR + 33.2
4. Nadine Fähndrich, SUI + 37.3
5. Rosie Brennan, USA + 39.0
6. Delphine Claudel, FRA + 41.1
9. Krista Pärmäkoski, FIN + 47.3
12. Kerttu Niskanen, FIN + 54.1
24. Eveliina Piippo, FIN + 1.24,0
31. Jasmi Joensuu, FIN + 1.44,0
37. Emmi Lämsä, FIN + 2.10,8
42. Anne Kyllönen, FIN + 2.20,8
