Mona-Liisa Malvalehto of Finland celebrates her very first World Cup victory and podium at the classic sprint in Liberec, Czech Republic, in 2013. On Saturday, she won a Finnish Cup sprint to open the 2015-2016 season. (photograph: FIS Cross Nation)
Just days after the Frozen Thunder sprint in Canmore, Alberta, the official European racing season kicked off in Vuokatti, Finland, with classic sprints contested by most of the Finnish national staff, amid other people.
For the females, Mona-Liisa Nousiainen won the 1.5 k qualifier by 2.03 seconds of Anne Kyllönen, with Kerttu Niskanen in third. Nousianen won her initial Globe Cup in January, 2013, but recently married national team teammate Ville Nousiainen.
Mona-Liisa then won her quarterfinal and semifinal before skiing away from the area in the final to take the season’s first win.
“My goal is to keep in great shape the entire season,” she informed Finnish broadcaster YLE. I hope I managed to ski a smooth strong season and keep wholesome.”
Kyllönen, an additional World Cup typical, had led the final out of the gate. But following Nousiainen passed her coming in direction of the finish, she was also beaten out for second place by Katri Lylynpera. Lylynpera was a top-20 finisher at U23 World Championships final season, but this is by far her ideal nationwide-level consequence.
“In the last, I had no other technique than that podium,” Lylynpera informed Kestävyys Urheilu, a Finnish sports activities site.
Niskanen positioned fourth, Leena Nurmi fifth, and Aino-Kaisa Saarinen sixth.
Also in the area was Kaisa Mäkäräinen, the Planet Champion and two-time Planet Cup Total Score winner in biathlon. Not utilized to racing classic, Mäkäräinen certified in ninth. She created it to the semifinals of the sprint but then positioned sixth in her heat.
“I’ve done sports for so extended that I might as nicely go embarrass myself,” Mäkäräinen advised the Ilta-Sanomat newspaper a few days before the race. “I’ve never ever skied ahead of a classic sprint. I’ve been doing hours of rehearsals for it now… The aim is to get a good work out sprint.”
College of Saint Scholastica alum Anita Kirvesniemi placed third in her quarterfinal and just missed moving on to the semifinals.
The males’s competitors was complete of drama, with Matthias Strandvall crossing the line first in the final but swiftly obtaining relegated to final area in the heat due to skiing on Toni Ketelä’s skis.
Strandvall had won the qualifier by .93 seconds in excess of Anssi Pentsinen.
The jury reportedly relegated him due to an obstruction incident which not only affected Ketelä, but brought on Ville Nousiainen to crash Ville crossed the line 35 seconds following the leaders in the last.
“My tactic was that I saved all the tempo for the finish, it is my trump card,” Ketelä advised the media he had made a shut finish with Strandvall and Mikkonen. “The jury then made a decision on what had happened before.”
Juho Mikkonen positioned 2nd and Ristomatti Hakola third, with Pentsinen fourth and Nousiainen fifth. Other favorites like Sami Jauhojärvi and Martti Jylhä did not make the ultimate.
Racing will proceed on Sunday.
Final results: females / men