Controversial selection by Finland for the World Championships sprint – Aino-Kaisa Saarinen disagrees
Originally published in Yle on March 04, 2025
Controversial selection by Finland for the World Championships sprint – Aino-Kaisa Saarinen disagrees
The Finnish Cross-Country Skiing Federation has announced its team for the World Championship sprint in Trondheim, where Kerttu Niskanen and Jasmi Joensuu represent the women's team, while Ristomatti Hakola and Lauri Vuorinen make up the men's team.
One of the most intriguing selections is Hakola, who placed fifteenth in the traditional 10km race, while Ville Ahonen was the top Finnish performer, finishing in tenth place and remaining only 37.9 seconds behind the winner, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo.
Ahonen expressed optimism despite being named an alternate, and Saarinen, a prominent figure in Finnish skiing, stated that it would have been more desirable to pair Ahonen with Vuorinen instead of Hakola. She emphasized the significance of Ahonen's strategic pacing and performance in the race.
"Ahonen performed excellently, and his pacing strategy was similar to that of Klæbo's. He was positioned effectively in the frontline and remained competitively close to the leaders, which is vital in a sprint event," Saarinen remarked.
This decision has sparked discussions regarding the criteria used for selections in such competitive environments, particularly in light of previous performances.
Related Topics
2025 World Ski Championships
Cross-Country Skiing
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