Lauri Vuorinen may celebrate victory on a surprising journey – World Championship hero experiences a wonderful moment

Lauri Vuorinen may celebrate victory on a surprising journey – World Championship hero experiences a wonderful moment

Sprint champion Lauri Vuorinen is now a favorite to win in a longer distance event. At the Finnish Cup, he will compete alongside his good friend, Verneri Suhonen.

Vuorinen will race in the 20 kilometers classic style race on Saturday in Iisalmi, and his friend Verneri Suhonen is expected to join him in the relay event as a teammate.

The race is set amidst a backdrop of changes, as Iivo Niskanen will not participate, and Perttu Hyvärinen has concluded his season. Meanwhile, Ristomatti Hakola has also stepped aside.

In the 20-kilometer traditional style mass start race at the Finnish Cup, the reigning World Championship bronze medalist Vuorinen is seen as a potential winner. He has previously shown strong performances and could add another victory to his accolades.

Expected challengers for the title will include Niko Anttola, Lauri Lepistö, and the recently successful Miro Karppanen from Lapland’s World Cup.

Vuorinen has had successful outings, finishing 20th in recent events and is confident about his ability to perform well this time, especially since the race is shorter and will be run in a mass start format.

"I suspect at some point the others will try to keep up the pace, and I'm sure they will try to drop me along the way. I expect some hard pushing from Lepistö, so I need to stay vigilant throughout the race," says Vuorinen.

Team Operations
Vuorinen will participate in the relay race on Sunday, where he is excited to ski alongside his longtime friend.

"It will be fun to ski the relay with my long-term good friend, Verneri Suhonen. I believe we have a little chance for the podium," he expresses.

Both Vuorinen and Suhonen are engaging their audience through a video blog, reflecting their camaraderie and competitive spirit.

"We will definitely encourage each other to achieve better performances as a team," Vuorinen remarks.

Vuorinen’s season has been long and fruitful, with more competitions lined up following this weekend’s races, leading into the Finnish Championship races in Taivalkoski next weekend.

"I’m definitely fired up. I enjoy succeeding and performing well, and I approach competitions with the mindset of being the best version of myself," he emphasizes.

Upcoming Sports Events
Here’s an outline of the sports programming for the upcoming weekend:

SATURDAY
TV2 and Areena:
10:15 – Sports Studio kicks off
10:25 – Men’s Ski Jumping World Cup Team Competition, 1st Round, Planica
11:45 – Men’s Ski Jumping World Cup Team Competition, 2nd Round, Planica
12:55 – Finnish Cup, Women’s 20 km mass start, Iisalmi
14:25 – Finnish Cup, Men’s 20 km mass start, Iisalmi
15:40 – Figure Skating World Championships, Women’s Free Skate, Boston
20:30 – Figure Skating World Championships, Dance Free, Boston
22:50 – Snowboard and Freestyle World Championships, Freestyle Big Air, Engadin

SUNDAY
10:15 – Sports Studio kicks off
10:25 – Men’s Ski Jumping World Cup, Individual Competition, 1st Round, Planica
10:25 – Men’s Ski Jumping World Cup, Individual Competition, 2nd Round, Planica
12:55 – Finnish Cup, Women’s Relay 3 x 5 km (classic), Iisalmi
14:05 – Finnish Cup, Men’s Relay 3 x 7.5 km (classic), Iisalmi
15:30 – Figure Skating World Championships, Men’s Free Skate, Boston
21:00 – Figure Skating World Championships Final, Boston