Finnish Skiing Prospect Excels at Junior World Championships

Olivia Puranen, a promising figure in Finnish skiing, became the top Finnish rider by finishing seventh in the under‑20 Women's 20 km mass start event at the Junior World Championships. The race, held with the traditional classical technique, was a strong test of endurance and tactics on a challenging course.

Earlier in January, Puranen had already caught attention by winning the national title at the Imatra SM-hiihdot as part of a pair with Emmi Lämsä. In the junior World Championships held in Italy’s Schilpario, she clocked a competitive time in the sprint time trial. In the main race, she maintained a good pace over the 20 km distance and finished roughly two minutes behind the Norwegian winner, Milla Grosberghaugen Andreassen, with Hanna Engesäter Sörbye coming in second and Canadian Alison Mackie third.

Additionally, other Finnish competitors such as Selene Rossi (10th), Silva Kemppi (12th) and Ella Noora Haapalehto (18th) contributed to a solid overall performance by the Finnish team. Given that the leading trio in the race were born in 2005 while Puranen, born in 2008, is still in her debut season, her seventh-place finish is considered exceptional.