The free style of skiing proved to be sticky for the Finns in the women’s ten kilometer race. Kerttu Niskanen was the only one to reach the top ten.
28.2. 16:57 | Updated 28.2. 20:52
Planica
Women’s the head coach Jussi Piirainen the smile didn’t fade, even though the team’s performance in the 10-kilometer freestyle race was slower than expected on the World Championships tracks in Planica.
Recovering from a leg injury Kerttu Niskanen was the ninth best and the only Finn to reach the top 15.
Disappointed with his placement Eveliina Piippo was 16, complained of fatigue Krista Pärmäkoski 17th and Jasmi Joensuu only 32.
Pokka liked the pie perfectly. He answered the reporters’ questions with a grin, even though he had to admit that the team fell short of its goal.
“If we could have gotten skiers into slightly better positions, we would have been satisfied. We didn’t completely succeed in that,” Piirainen said.
According to Piirainen, Niskanen’s and Piipo’s performances were just fine, but Pärmäkoski had a difficult day. Joensuu was not far behind in his own level, Piirainen reflected.
However, the results list spoke harshly. There was only one Finnish skier in the top ten. It’s a quiet bet from the ski resort.
According to Piirainen, the pace of the Finns froze especially in the last couple of kilometers. In the end, Niskanen lost three places and Piippo seven places.
“Still at my interim point [3,5 kilometrissä] it looked like three women were fighting for a spot in the top ten. It would have been a great success for the day.”
Read more: A disconsolate comment from Jasmi Joensuu after ten races
The rest of the course is downhill, but also contains a few climbs and turns. Piirainen had no idea what had happened there. At least the skiers didn’t complain publicly about their skis.
“It was really hard going uphill, but in the last couple of kilometers there was so much back pack that the rankings dropped a few places.”
“It could also have been about the athletes’ personal speed distribution,” Piirainen stated, but could not immediately say more.
How about do the skis work?
“The equipment can have an effect, but I don’t know what kind of experiences the athletes have had. In any case, it seemed from the beginning that the skis were gliding just fine.”
On Wednesday, the coaching staff will announce the women’s team for the 4×5 kilometer relay that will be skied on Thursday. Piirainen did not start speculating on the choices.
Did the results of the tenth instill confidence?
“Of course they woke me up. I see that our skiers are in top condition. Krista has been able to show miracles before,” Piirainen answered.
Freestyle skiing intermediate start races have been difficult for Finns throughout history. Freestyle competitions have been skied in prestige competitions since 1987.
Only Marjo Matikainen, Mika Myllylä and Krista Pärmäkoski have reached the medals.
Also in Planica, free skiing has fared even worse for the Finns than the traditional one.
“It’s not news in itself,” Piirainen said.
“Let’s think about these things after the season. Now is not the time.”
A pie also claimed that the coaching management has not turned a blind eye Perttu Hyvärinen for advertising.
“These are also partly tongue-in-cheek and humorous activities. It does not affect the activities of our coaches in any way.”
“As I said, it does not affect the job description of our coaches. We are aware, but we don’t have time to focus on such things.”
Correction: Corrected Kerttu Niskanen’s name from the entry of the story.
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