Coach Reijo Jylhä explains why Johanna Matintalo and Jasmi Joensuu are not participating in the 10+10 kilometer combined skiing.
Finland chose Kerttu Niskanen, Krista Pärmäkoski, Vilma Nissinen and Vilma Ryytyn For the opening trip of the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games on Saturday’s 10+10 km combined skiing.
It’s not the best possible team.
– Both Johanna Matintalo that Jasmi Joensuu would have skied at a good level in that competition, says the responsible coach of the women’s national team Reijo Jylhä.
The selection of Matintalo in particular for the competition would have been well justified.
– Johanna wants to focus on next week’s Tuesday sprint. Jasmi didn’t even consider the combined race, Jylhä says.
Joensuu and Matintalo are Finland’s toughest women in next week’s traditional Olympic sprint organized on Tuesday.
Conkers on the ropes
Johanna Matintalo and Jasmi Joensuu (pictured in the foreground) did not want to ski in the 10+10 kilometer Olympic opening. Jussi Saarinen
The medal heroes of the previous Olympic Games, Pärmäkoski and Niskanen, have been on the ropes during this season due to illness.
Pärmäkoski got sick with corona after the Independence Day weekend, and hasn’t really found any kind of results since then.
Athlete’s personal trainer Matti Haavisto assured that Pärmäkoski is in the best results of the season at the Olympics.
– You have to be realistic. For Kristal, placing in the top ten in Saturday’s combined competition would be a so-called own level, Jylhä reminds.
In January, Niskanen caught the corona virus and influenza. The corona infection was the first in Vieremä’s life, so the disease was very severe. The other weekend, Niskanen placed fourth in the 20 km traditional style joint start of the Goms World Cup.
– The Goms competition gave a good picture of Kertu’s ability to cope. The slopes of Val di Fiemme are harder than many expect in advance. The fittest can do well here, Jylhä gives a tickling assessment of Niskanen’s situation.
Kainuulainen’s goal is a personal medal from Italy.
Message screening
Reijo Jylhä works as the responsible coach of the women’s team. Pasi Liesimaa
Jylhä already outlined during the basic training season that the goal of the women’s team is an Olympic relay medal in the 4×7.5 kilometer race on Saturday, February 14.
The experienced pilot does not compromise on the goal, even though Finland’s season has been a collective disappointment.
The first two legs of the Olympic relay’s traditional way of progressing have been earmarked for Matintalo and Niskanen. In order for Finland to achieve a medal, the ice-skating sections must see the best bets of the season.
Pärmäkoski, Joensuu, Ryytty and Nissinen will give displays at the Olympics, two of whom can fit into the free legs of the relay quartet.
– The 10-kilometer free split start race on Thursday next week is a race on the basis of which the relay positions are decided. Of course, we will see the first steps already on Saturday in the free leg of the 10+10 kilometer combined race.
