The freestyle sprint in Falun could be decisive in the fight for the ladies’ sprint cup title. After fine Finnish successes on Friday, the blue and white riders are trying to offer more positive surprises in the season’s third and final World Cup sprint.
At 11.45 Sprint qualifying, Falun
Commentator: Mikael Oivo
Finland, ladies: 24 Jasmin Kähärä, 26 Kerttu Niskanen, 33 Anni Alakoski, 44 Tiia Olkkonen, 52 Eevi-Inkeri Tossavainen
Finland, gentlemen: 1 Niilo Moilanen, 22 Lauri Vuorinen, 45 Verneri Poikonen, 51 Verneri Suhonen, 55 Emil Liekari, 56 Wiljam Mattila
At 14.15 Freestyle sprint, Falun
Commentator: Mikael Oivo
Fähndrich and Dahlqvist settle for the sprint title – Sundling extends the winning streak?
The battle for victory in the sprint cup is extremely even. Maja Dahlqvist is chasing Nadine Fähndrich, who is only five points ahead of the Swede with three races remaining in the season. The Swiss is trying to hold off and become the second Swiss of all time, after Dario Cologna, to win a World Cup title.
Both will be busy trying to defeat world champion Jonna Sundling, who impressed yesterday with her fifth place in a normal distance. Sundling missed the start of the season due to a prolonged cold, but has won all sprint races with free ski technique that she has competed in since her comeback.
Norwegian Kristine Stavå’s Skistad has won two of the last three sprint events in the World Cup, but unlike today’s event, they have gone with classic technique.
Kähärä och Niskanen jagar semifinalsplatser – överraskar juniorvärldsmästaren Tossavainen?
Jasmin Kähärä and Kerttu Niskanen are on hand Finland’s starkaste card in Jasmi Joensuus fråvaro. Inte Heller Katri Lylynperä competes i dag efter en Tung besvikelse i gårdagens tävling.
Kähärä is chasing a semi-final place and yesterday’s winner Niskanen is looking for as many World Cup points as possible to secure his third place in the overall World Cup.
Just over a month ago, Eevi-Inkeri Tossavainen won JVM gold with classical technique. Today she does her first World Cup sprint with free skiing technique. With classic technique, she did well in Drammen last week where she finished in 24th place.
Can the sprint champion be upset for the third time this winter?
There is only one actual pre-favourite. Johannes Hösflot Kläbo wins almost every sprint race he enters.
Sometimes it still happens that the champion is defeated. It has happened twice in the World Cup this season – once with classic technique and once with freestyle. Both times Kläbo finished second.
The men who managed to defeat the Norwegian this winter are Federico Pellegrino and Richard Jouve. Pellegrino’s victory came with free skiing technique, and he is Kläbo’s biggest challenger today along with a pack of Norwegians.
Up to proof for Finland’s inexperienced sextet
Apart from Lauri Vuorinen, Finland fields a relatively inexperienced squad. The most meritorious is junior world champion Niilo Moilanen, who this winter consolidated his position among the world’s top 30 sprinters. Now he needs to develop the endurance to hold several races in a row.
If any of the Finnish men make it to the semi-finals, the thumbs up. A final place feels out of reach – especially when the competition runs with free technique where the competition is significantly wider than in classic sprint competitions.
