The stadium sprint tested a new concept with the same ramp for everyone: “Hopefully we’ll see more of it in the future”

The skiing event at the Olympic Stadium offered shows in abundance. In addition, all skiers had equal skis – a concept that several stars welcome.

During the evening’s stadium sprint in Helsinki, the skiers got to try something that is rare in a competitive context: everyone skied with the same ridge on their skis. Instead of the skiers having to bring a belaying team with them, as during the World Cup competitions, the organizers offered experts who belayed all the skis with the same means.

The discussion about the future of cross-country skiing has been topical. Norway and Sweden dominate – and new tricks have been thought of to even out the differences.

Using an expert team to groom all skiers’ skis also in the World Cup could have been a step in the right direction. The dominant countries have great resources to produce perfect skis and it is an area where small countries find it difficult to compete.

Today’s runner-up in the women’s sprint, Swedish Johanna Hagström, thinks it is good that the topic is discussed and hopes to see more of it in the World Cup.

– It feels like a good concept. Then I don’t think it will be exactly like this, but it is definitely a good start to make it more equal.

The recent Olympic bronze medalist William Poromaa is on the same line.

– It feels like it’s good that everyone runs on the same road. Then it will be the same.

Although the concept is rare, it is not the first time it has been tested. Last year during the stadium sprint it was already in use. During Tuesday’s World Cup sprint in Tallinn, a similar concept was tried for the first time in a World Cup context. Then all skiers received the same funds, even if the fencing itself was carried out by the national teams.

Smarter with classic

Wednesday’s sprint went in classic style, but almost everyone went with skate skis. The concept of the same rim has not previously been tested in competitions when classic skis were used. The ridge has a significantly greater importance in the classic style as the ski should preferably slide well but also have a strong grip.

Sprint king and today’s superior winner Johannes Høsflot Klæbo believes that the concept could be used in the future, but fairly highlights the problem of how it should work in the Finns’ bravura style.

– For city sprinters, like in Tallinn, it could work with the same road for everyone and I really think we can continue with that in those contexts. In “normal” World Cups and in classic style, I think it will be too difficult.

The public squabbles had subsided

Abolishing the race teams could also have prevented public slander between riders and race managers.

Just a few weeks ago, during the WC, things got really heated between the Swedish skaters and the Swedish fencing team. Frida Karlsson then openly criticized the skis whereupon the dam manager Petter Myrback claimed that the fault lay with the riders.

It is not just the Swedish herding team that has to put up with tough feedback. The work is thankless and election managers are rarely celebrated.

For Finland, the last few years have seen a large turnover among the herd managers. Finland’s former head coach Martin Norrgård left after just one year in the post and the current head coach Mika Venäläinen said last week that he will give up after the season.