Lahti Ski Games Relay results
Jan 24, 2021·Cross-Country
Lahti Ski Games had set the stage for the first Relay competition of the current season. After yesterdays double triple podium in the Skiathlon, the Norwegian athletes were ready to tackle todays challenges. Indeed, the womens Relay team with Tiril Udnes Weng, Therese Johaug, Helene Marie Fossesholm and Heidi Weng left nothing to chances and bring Norway another victory with a 42 second gap. Second ranked team Sweden with Charlotte Kalla, Emma Ribom, Lovisa Modig and Ebba Andersson fought hard against local stars favourite team Finland I. The anchor in the Finnish team, Krista Pärmäkoski was pleased with their podium but had hoped to keep up closer to Ebba Andersson whom she raced against in the final rounds: "Of course it is great that our team gets to be on the podium but actually my own race was not too good today because I know that when I am at my best, I could have kept up with the Ebba-speed". Team Finland I with Johanna Matintalo, Kerttu Niskanen, Laura Mononen and Krista Pärmäkoski take the remaining spot on the podium, 17 seconds behind Sweden.
Also the mens Relay competition was dictated by the Norwegian team. For the 25th time, Norway celebrates a Relay victory, represented by Paal Golberg, Emil Iversen, Sjur Roethe and Simen Hegstad Krüger.
Team Finland 1 had set their athlete composition successfully to gain their first Relay podium in a mens Relay since 20 years! This milestone for the Finnish team was set by Perttu Hyvarinen, Ristomatti Hakola, Iivo Niskanen and Joni Mäki. The hard fought for second place ended in a spectacular finish between Joni Mäki and Alexander Bolshunov from Team Russia 1. Due to a tight situation in chosing the lines towards the finish, which triggered an unsportsmanlike behaviour of Bolshunov against Mäki, Bolshunov got disqualified and thus the entire Team Russia 1.
Team Russia 2 with Ilia Semikov, Ivan Yakimushkin, Andrey Melnichenko and Sergey Ustiugov therefore steps up to the podium in third place.
