Is Finland Facing a Medal Surge at the Biathlon World Championships? Expert Sees Improvement in Results

What’s Buzzing?

Former pop star Antti Tuisku drew public and media interest on Saturday in Imatra as he participated in his first SM-level men's 10 kilometer classic time trial.

Having trained full-time for a year, Tuisku finished in 142nd place, leaving nine competitors behind. He finished about eight and a half minutes behind the winner Ristomatti Hakola.

Many spectators came to witness Tuisku’s debut in a ski competition.

Yle's skiing expert Kalle Lassila hopes Tuisku's skiing project inspires people to join skiing events and increase physical activity overall, especially as many people don't exercise enough.

"Tuisku's example hopefully conveys that exercising isn’t just a chore, but can truly add value and positive effects to daily life," Lassila said.

Who Surprised?

On Sunday, Tero Seppälä and Suvi Minkkinen delivered a biathlon breakthrough in Oberhof, winning Finland's first-ever World Cup mixed relay.

Minkkinen clinched the victory with a decisive final shooting stage, leading the way to the finish line. This win marked the first World Cup victory for both athletes.

Shooting has traditionally been a challenge for Finns, but on Sunday’s mixed relay, Finland excelled, using only five spare cartridges throughout the race.

Others like Sonja Leinamo also excelled in shooting, achieving zero misses in Thursday's sprint race, securing eighth place.

Yle's biathlon expert Ville Kotikumpu suggests that the improvement is due to quality training camps where athletes fine-tune their shooting techniques and engage in intense group exercises, essential for supporting athletes under pressure during key moments.

The World Championships begin next month in Lenzerheide, and early-season performances suggest a promising outlook for Finland.

“Minkkinen could be a medal contender with top performance; likewise, the mixed team has reason to believe in themselves for potential medals,” Kotikumpu forecasts.

Who Flopped?

The mediocre early seasons for Joni Mäki and Remi Lindholm saw them miss opportunities at the SM championships in Imatra.

Despite the absence of the toughest national team competitors, Mäki and Lindholm couldn’t achieve remarkable results.

Mäki struggled in the pair sprint against Hakola.

After being sick during Christmas, Mäki couldn't keep pace in the anchor leg of the pair sprint against Ristomatti Hakola and skipped the classic 10.

– "Nothing was going smoothly at any point. There was nothing to win. I need to consider carefully what to do moving forward," Mäki reflected after his withdrawal on Sunday.

Lindholm placed 17th in the classic 10 kilometer and fourth in the combined race.

Iivo Niskanen and Perttu Hyvärinen have also dealt with illness and didn’t participate in the SM championships or the preceding Tour de Ski.

Skiing expert Kalle Lassila believes, however, that the men’s national team situation is relatively positive.

– "Sure, there are a few experienced athletes going through phases, but realistically, there can never be a season where everyone is in top condition at this stage."

What’s Confusing?

Vilma Ryytty surprised everyone on Sunday by sprinting to the women’s 20 kilometer combined championship title, even though she had never competed in that distance before.

– "It went really well. I was a bit nervous since I've never switched equipment in such a qualification before," Ryytty reported.

Ryytty lost by two minutes in December's FIS competition in Imatra to the event-winning Fanny Kukonlehto.

A month of uninterrupted training has drastically improved her condition.

– "It's been quite a month and an incredible weekend; not only did I earn my first national title, but I also bagged two silvers," reflected the proud Ryytty.

What’s Next?

The skiing World Cup continues next week in France, with about six weeks remaining until the biathlon World Championships.

National team head coach Teemu Pasanen hopes everyone stays healthy as the season culmination approaches.

– "The next weeks are crucial. Overall, there are quite a few colds in the skiing team. It's vital to maintain health now."

Pasanen was pleased with the number of participants in the Imatra SM competitions.

The World Cup will still take place in France, Switzerland, Italy, and Sweden before the Trondheim championships.

– "There will be quite a bit of traveling and competing before that. The most important thing is to maintain form and be at your best in six weeks."

Pasanen noted that some athletes who performed well in the Imatra SM will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities in upcoming World Cups.

– "The World Championship teams are still open, and we hope to see performances that allow us to assess on an event basis who will compete where."