Tallinn’s Taikayö offered Finland two semi-final spots in freestyle skiing sprints.
Jasmi Joensuu was satisfied. Jenni Gästgivar
The victory of the women’s race was decided by stretching the finish line. Norwegian by Kristine Skistad the steps fit better at the end than Sweden’s Jonna Sundling. Switzerland’s Nadine Faehndrich was third.
Skistad took his fourth sprint win of the season and third in a row at the World Cup.
Jasmi Joensuu and Jasmin Kähärä skied well, both made it to the semifinals on the 750-meter long Tallinn course.
– It was a great feeling. At the beginning of the week, I still felt stuffy and I was wondering how this is going to go. I’m really, really pleased. Already in the qualifying it felt like today is a good day.
– Better tactics would have made it to the final. I should have tried even harder on that other hill, Joensuu told Iltalehte.
There would have been reasons for a harder pull.
– I was behind Skistad in that and there would have been a chance. But it’s pointless to worry about it afterwards, continued Joensuu, who skied to tenth place.
Coil pressures
Kähärä had the best World Cup race of his career, finishing eighth. The woman beamed with a big smile.
– A place in the semi-finals was what I came here to get. Now it came and I’m really happy with it. I put a lot of pressure on myself for this. The qualification seems to have settled down to place 11 again, the same as in Falun.
– The semi-final was a bit more relaxed skiing, there was a bit of action when the front fell. I got up well, but it wasn’t quite enough. The track softened a bit there. This was definitely a positive day, A really great evening, talkative Kähärä ynänsi.
Jasmin Kähärä’s day was positive. Jenni Gästgivar
Good track
Joensuu liked the track built on Tallinn’s Laululava.
– Absolutely fantastic. Last but not least entertainment for the spectators, and also for us skiers. I really like this kind of track, but it was a demanding enough track. Athletes for the most part like it, I definitely want to see these in the future as well.
– The atmosphere was also really great. Even more people came out. I am very satisfied.
Kähärä also gave a thumbs up to the Laululava baana, where the height difference is about 30 meters.
– I liked it myself. That bill required skill and audacity as well. These city sprint tracks are always made just for the competition. A really good skiing race was held.
– The atmosphere was incredibly great. Estonians know how to make noise.
Joensuu fans at Stadika
It’s going to be a great skiing week. Top names performing for the home crowd on Wednesday night at the stadium.
– On Wednesday morning we will take the ferry to Finland and in the evening we will ski the stadium sprint. I hope there is still enough power, Kähärä thought.
Joensuu has a lot of fans in the Helsinki evening.
– Mother has gathered a group of fans there, there will be a lot of sponsors and relatives. It’s really great to be able to compete there and hopefully we’ll get as great an atmosphere there as it was here.
Big fish in binoculars
The World Cup continues at the end of the week in Salpauselka.
– From there we will continue to Lahti and on Friday we will go pair sprint skiing with Jasmin (Kähärä). If only the big fish came on Friday, we’ll go get it.
Kerttu Niskanen stayed in the quarters in Tallinn.
– It wasn’t the best possible track for me, but I had to take it easy when I was already under a yellow card. I would have liked to be more cheeky in the beginning, Niskanen stated.