Mixed messages are aimless.
Remi Lindholm sent Vilma Ryyty on her way to the anchor leg of the 4×5 kilometer mixed relay. EPA / AOP
The mixed relay could be described as the world’s most absurd form of cross-country skiing competition, because at least for now the event has no goal whatsoever.
4×5 kilometer competitions are sometimes skied and at Christmas, and the International Ski Federation Fis has not announced its plans to include the sport in the prestigious competition program.
– It’s not surprising when I think about Fisi’s operations in general. It rarely dares to make decisions like Ibu’s, states Iltalehti’s skiing expert Reijo Jylhä.
IBU is the International Biathlon Union. It took the mixed relay to the World Cup in the 2000s and told right away in the handshake that in the future the sport will also be seen in prestigious competitions. The first mixed relay World Cup medals were awarded in 2011.
– Fis has not controlled the media rights itself, Ibu does. Maybe Ibu doesn’t need to care what the competition program is like.
The only reason
Sweden won, Norway was second and Switzerland third on Friday in the World Cup mixed relay in Switzerland. EPA / AOP
In the cross-country skiing world cup, the mixed relay was on the program for the first time in spring-winter 2022 in Falun. USA won, Finland was second and Norway’s first team was third.
In the 2022–23 season, there were two mixed messages in the mc program and one last snow.
This season’s only mc mixed relay was skied on Friday in Switzerland.
– I think the only reason for the mixed messages is that the normal messages have been quite anemic in terms of the number of teams. There will be more teams in the medley relay. If you want potential new countries to fight for medals in the team competition, the medley relay would open up an opportunity, Jylhä says.
On Friday, 19 teams participated in Engadin.
In the last mc season in Oberhof, there were 11 teams in the women’s 4×7.5 kilometer relay and 15 teams in the men’s relay.
Stars aside
THE FACTS
4×5 km mixed relay
1. Sweden I 54.45,3
2. Norway I +19.5
3. Switzerland I +33.0
4. Norway II +33.5
5. Finland +38.8
In biathlon, for example, the mixed relay has proven to be an entertaining form of competition.
That could also be the case in cross-country skiing.
However, the situation is that cross-country mixed relays are the most trivial events on the mc tour. For example, on Friday, Finland lacked the absolute number one punch Kerttu Niskanenfrom Sweden Jonna Sundlingfrom Norway Johannes Klæbofrom the USA Jessie Diggins and so on.
None of the biggest countries in the sport, i.e. Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, USA or France, had the best possible lineup on Friday.
In this case, the best possible lineup refers to the athletes who are participating in the other competitions of the Engadin World Cup this weekend.
In Jylhä’s opinion, the problem is the timing of the competition.
– If the mixed relay was on Sunday, the teams would be different. For example, women who ski a sprint in Engadin on Saturday and a free 20 kilometer on Sunday were certainly not willing to compete in the mixed relay on Friday, Jylhä estimates.
– Correspondingly, for example Iivo Niskanen Friday’s mixed relay was at the right time, because for him the main event of the weekend is on Sunday, and he does not ski sprints on Saturday, the expert adds.
Sweden’s first team has dominated the mixed messages of the World Cup, as Friday’s win was the third in a row. So USA has one win and Norway’s second team has one.
Finland’s only ball venue came in Falun 2022, when Kerttu Niskanen, Perttu HyvärinenIivo Niskanen and Krista Pärmäkoski finished second.
On Friday, Finland was fifth in the team with Iivo Niskanen, Jasmi Joensuu, Remi Lindholm and Vilma Ryytty.
Last season, Finland was fourth in the mixed relay of Gomsin mc, in the 2022–23 season, seventh in Falun and fourth in Beitostölen.