Johanna Matintalo and Ristomatti Hakola were in a strong mood at the Scandinavian Cup in Otepää, Estonia.
Finns great success in skiing's Scandinavian Cup on Saturday came as a positive surprise to the expert Harri Kirvesniemi. One performance still surpassed Saturday's podium finishes in his books.
Johanna Matintalo won the 20 km (p) race in Otepää, Estonia on Saturday after a superior performance, and Cross mat Hakola was third on the same trip.
The Scandinavia Cup is the second hardest competition series in cross-country after the World Cup. Norway was in Otepää with a big team, and on the men's side, a very high-quality team as well.
“A positive surprise from both”, Kirvesniemi summed up the Finnish duo's performance.
Matintalo was third in Friday's sprint, and Hakola was responsible for the real bang when he took the win in the traditional fast crease. It also surprised Kirvesniemi.
“Today wasn't such a big surprise, yesterday was. The Norwegian sprint team is so tough.”
“Winning in a sprint is really difficult. I don't even remember when a Finnish man won the Scandinavian Cup sprint.”
Hakola beat Norway on Friday Even Northugwho has skied sixth and eighth in the traditional sprints of the World Cup this season.
Matintalo suffered for a long time from the after-effects of the coronavirus disease, so Otepää's performances were quite promising.
“Matintalo seems to have recovered, especially when he won the long race today, and not only the sprint was good. He is certainly ready to fight for good positions this coming weekend as well, when the World Cup continues.”
Kirvesniemi estimates that similar performances would have taken the Finns to 15th place in the World Cup, Matintalo perhaps a little higher.
The World Cup continues next weekend in Oberhof, Germany. The program includes traditional sprints, a 20-kilometer joint start race of the same skiing style and relays on Sunday.
“I expect them to return to their own good level, even if it is not their own top level. With Hakola, it would mean about 15 checks with a traditional one. Matintalo maybe a little closer to the twenties. The direction would be right.”
“Hopefully, the illnesses would be behind them, and they would have a good and intact end of the season.”
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