Austrian sprint skier Erik Engel has crashed with Joni Mäe and Lauri Vuorinen this season. The most thrilling episode happened at the World Cup in Ruka.
Joni Mäki, 30, is the Finnish sprint skiing champion. Jussi Saarinen
Contact, pushing and nervousness.
At the World Cup in Ruka at the end of November, in the quarter-finals of the traditional sprint, a shocking incident happened, for which the referees’ council later punished Finland Joni Mäkea with a yellow warning card.
Mäki crashed before the climb leading to the stadium in Austria Erik Engel’s with.
Engel returned to the event in Koillismaa at Iltalehti’s request with the Tour de Ski. He said he watched the episode many times on video.
– I was going second to the last uphill. The hill was behind me. To my right was my teammate Michael Föttinger. Maki tried to pass from my left side, Engel times.
Based on the video, the Finn and the Austrian had contact that could be classified as hard.
– Finnish boys Mäe and Lauri Vuorinen had really slippery skis. I think Mäki was so fast that my stick hit something in his body. Then he poked my wand away and hit me too.
Both Mäki and Engel were hot after the crash.
– I was in a good place and could have advanced to the semi-finals. I was a bit frustrated when there was an accident with Mäki. On the other hand, it was a so-called normal competition situation. I haven’t talked about the case with Mäki, but I can talk anytime, Engel states.
Mäki commented on the matter to Iltalehte recently in Ruka.
– What could I have done differently, the Finn asked.
– On the other hand, the person behind has a responsibility. The jury makes the decisions. In principle, the jury’s decision was surprising and on the other hand not. I think it was a normal competition situation, he added.
Another crash
Erik Engel, 23, is the Austrian champion in sprint skiing. Jussi Saarinen
Engel also made headlines in Finland in mid-November at the Olos cannon race, when he crashed in the traditional sprint with Vuorinen.
– I was the first in the corner before the finish line and I had a lot of speed. Lauri came by my side, Engel recalls.
The Austrian jumped into the project and Vuorinen also fell. Mäki, who came from behind, went to the same place.
– Lauri hit my skis. I couldn’t do anything. I was so fast.
Vuorinen said after the race that Engel apologized for the incident.
– I hope I can be friends with the Finns, Engel laughs.
Austrian champion
Joni Mäe’s pole broke in a crash at the Ruka World Cup at the end of November. Pasi Liesimaa
Born in 2002, Engel is from the alpine skiing resort of Altenmarkt. The headquarters of the equipment manufacturer Atomic is located in the city.
– In my childhood, I enjoyed alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and football. There weren’t enough players in futis and alpine skiing was boring, because the cable car took 20 minutes to go up and only five minutes to go down. That’s why I chose cross-country skiing.
Engel is the Austrian champion in sprint skiing. The best result in the World Cup is the 24th place in Ruka’s crash race.