Finland Wins Universiade Gold in Skiing

Finland has claimed gold in the women's relay skiing event at the Winter Universiade in Turin, Italy.

The gold-winning team comprised Hanna Ray, Elsi Torvinen, Iida Vuollet, and Anni Lindroos, who brought Finland to the finish line more than half a minute ahead of second-placed Japan, with France coming in third.

"At the start, I tried to see what the others were doing, but after the first round, the three of us (France, Japan, and Finland) were at the front," Ray celebrated in a statement from the Olympic Committee.

"Hanna handed over in a really good position, and I tried to maintain a strong pace to achieve the best possible skiing for her," Torvinen explained.

"I’m proud of our team. I was quite nervous before I started skiing, but I tried to enjoy it and it was indeed fun to ski today. The support along the course was fantastic," Vuollet summed up.

"The girls skied so well that I had great conditions to start. The skiing felt really heavy, but I aimed to maintain my own pace," Lindroos said after the race.

On Tuesday, the men's relay will also be contested at the Winter Universiade in Turin, alongside the mixed relay in ski orienteering scheduled for the afternoon.

Update at 14:15: Added comments from the skiers.