This surprised even Aino-Kaisa Saarinen on Friday in Ruka – will it be a big day for Jasmi Joensuu on Saturday?

This surprised even Aino-Kaisa Saarinen on Friday in Ruka – is it going to be Jasmi Joensuu's big day on Saturday? | Sports | Yle

The Cross-Country World Cup season kicked off on Friday in Ruka with traditional 10 km interval starts. Clear winners emerged in both the women's and men's events.

Iivo Niskanen returned to Ruka’s top spot after three years, defeating the Norwegians with over a ten-second lead right from the start.

Despite recently being ill, Niskanen surprised observers, including Yle Sports expert Aino-Kaisa Saarinen, who did not consider him a top favorite.

"I thought there would be some uncertainty due to his illness. But it's great that he came back, won, and showed everyone he's in good shape!"

In the women's category, Frida Karlsson claimed victory with an astonishing margin of over 46 seconds against Therese Johaug, sending ripples of surprise throughout the competition.

Johaug placed second while Kerttu Niskanen struggled, finishing nearly two minutes behind the leader, raising questions about her performance as the season progresses.

Looking ahead, the article anticipates whether Jasmi Joensuu will reach the podium in Saturday's sprint events, providing insights into her recent improvements in races.

Full results of the men's and women's 10 km races are shared alongside comments from participating skiers, indicating the competitive atmosphere and the stakes as the season unfolds.