Opening Weekend of the Ski Season Brings Success and Questions - Expert Summarizes Vuokatti Weekend

The ski season kick-off took place in Vuokatti with the Finnish Cup sprint races and relays over the weekend. The country's top skiers were not fully present, leading to observations about the opening weekend of a season that will peak at the World Championships. Expert Jussi Piirainen pointed out the quality of competition and noted some skiers showed good form, particularly Jasmi Joensuu, who had an excellent performance, backed by Hilla Niemelä and Amanda Saari.

On the men's side, young talents Eero Rantala and Ike Melnits showcased strong results. Olli Ahonen continued his successful streak in Vuokatti. The sprint competition was seen as an important opportunity, especially since there are no freestyle sprints held in Finland until the World Cups in December. Piirainen indicated that the winners of the Vuokatti sprint could have favorable chances to secure spots in the upcoming World Cups.

In the relay event, Joensuu and other national team skiers participated, including Perttu Hyvärinen, Ristomatti Hakola, and Joni Mäki. Joensuu maintained good speed across both days, suggesting she is well-positioned as the season develops toward the World Cup. Mäki showed a strong finish during the relay, but the competition structure left some questions about the athletes' peak form. Younger talents were also noted, including Nora Kytäjä and siblings Iiris and Nella Voutilainen, as well as Kalle Tossavainen and Anton Kemp. The next Finnish Cup event is scheduled for Ruka in three weeks, where more top athletes, including Iivo and Kerttu Niskanen, and Krista Pärmäkoski, are expected to compete as they approach the World Cup.