Kerttu Niskanen's Performance Indicated a Rare Victory – Jasmi Joensuu Revealed His Morning Thoughts

Finnish skier Jasmi Joensuu enjoyed a breakthrough moment at the World Cup event in Cogne, Italy, by securing his first victory in the discipline. In the dual sprint, he anchored the Finnish women’s team to a win, with Kerttu Niskanen skiing the other leg.

Earlier in the season, Joensuu had already achieved a personal podium finish by coming second in a free-technique sprint at the Tour de Ski in Toblach. However, this victory marked his ninth World Cup win overall, and notably, the first that was not achieved in the traditional normal distance race.

After the race, Niskanen expressed her joy in an interview with the International Ski Federation (FIS):

"This feels so good. It’s the first time I’ve raced in the same relay with Jasmi. I’m so happy we were able to win today," she said. She added that the strategy was to conserve energy on the first leg and then push hard in the final two rounds despite difficult snow conditions.

Joensuu, who celebrated with his family and manager in the stands, also revealed that he had been confident since the morning of the race. "I told Kerttu that today we would fight for the top spot," he recalled.

The Finnish duo managed to beat Sweden’s Johanna Hagström and Maja Dahlqvist as well as Germany’s Laura Gimmler and Coletta Rydzek. The win is seen as an encouraging sign ahead of the World Championships in Trondheim, where Finland is expected to contend for medals in the traditional style events.

Head coach Teemu Pasanen praised the team’s performance and the rare victory in the dual sprint, although he also noted a controversial incident involving Iivo Niskanen and Lauri Vuorinen during the qualification round. A very minor penalty was given after a mishap during the grip change, which was protested but ultimately left unchanged.

Looking ahead, the Finnish team is gearing up for a sprint race using the classic technique on Saturday, with hopes high for further success.