Heli Heiskanen, a skier from Marathonmattok, was 55th in the Ruka World Cup. The last time he competed at a similar level was eight years ago.
Heli Heiskanen returned to the skiing world cup after an eight-year break. PASI LEISMA
Last time in 2014 and right after on Saturday in Kuusamo. Heli Heiskanen41, the return to the skiing world cup could be described as incredible.
– When it’s been years, a place in the World Cup feels good. I certainly hope that young girls would come from behind. On the other hand, even in the Olos cannon competition, you could see that some of the girls who were chosen for Ruka before me lost to me. It seems that the Ski Classics series has momentum and the girls in Finland have a lot to do, commented Heiskanen.
He was ranked 55/61 on Saturday in the traditional top ten of the Ruka World Cup.
The background to the fact that the marathon distance skier was named to the third World Cup competition of his career dates back to two weeks ago at the Olos cannonball competition. They are the most important qualifying competitions in Finland before the World Cup.
– Women’s national team coach Jussi Piirainen called after Olos. I was there skiing a training race and the traditional inspection went very well. Jussi put me in Ruka as a backup skier. And last week he called that he might be selected for the World Cup – and on Thursday came confirmation.
Heiskanen was nineteenth in the Olos Games. Among other things, the women named Ruka were left behind Eevi-Inkeri Tossavainen.
On Saturday, Heiskanen was a jumbo among Finnish women.
– It left a really nice taste and I got a lot of encouragement, commented the mathematics and chemistry lecturer from Kuusamo.
Vigorous amount of training
The lecturer from Kuusamo was ranked 55th on Saturday in Ruka’s traditional ten. It is the best result of the career in the World Cup. Eight years ago, on a similar trip, he was 64th. Teemu Moisio
Last season, Heiskanen was sixth at best in the Ski Classics series and eighth in the overall cup. He trains about 900 hours a year.
– I will try to improve those positions this season.
Previously, Heiskanen was a professional skier and lived a lifestyle skier Esa Mursun with.
Now both statuses have changed.
– Last week I signed the Ski Classics contract. The team’s wish was that I would ski all the competitions. If I had quit, the whole team would have quit. It tells about my position, said the woman who plays sports in the Czech Vltava Fund Ski Team.
THE FACTS
Women’s 10 km (p)
1. Ebba Andersson SWE 24.49,6
2. Frida Karlsson SWE +5.7
3. Katharina Hennig GER +13.3
4. Anne Kjersti Kalvå NOR +13.5
5. Krista Pärmäkoski +18.3
6. Heidi Weng + 21.1
7. Rosie Brennan +29.0
8. Maja Dahlqvist +31.3
9. Tiril Udnes Weng +36.2
10. Kerttu Niskanen +37.6
14. Jasmi Joensuu +46.1
15. Katri Lylynperä +49.6
23. Jasmin Kähärä +1.18,6
26. Anni Alakoski +1.21.0
29. Johanna Matintalo +1.23.5
55. Heli Heiskanen +3.23,0