Skiing: Iivo Niskanen won the SC gold after the skiing break

Iivo Niskanen took his. Picture: Touho Häkkinen

Inari

Finland skiing king Iivo Niskanen took his own on Friday in the 10 kilometer (p) intermediate start race of the Inari SC Skiing Championship. Niskanen took the win with a difference of 18.6 seconds to the second skier to Alexander Ståhlberg. Ville Ahonen was the third.

It was close that Niskanen didn’t completely miss the spring SC skiing. He traveled to Inari mainly for the message. His teammates Perttu Hyvärinen Puijon Skiing Club will ski the last relay race of his career on Saturday.

“I wouldn’t have come if Pera didn’t have the last message,” Niskanen commented to Yle right after the race.

Niskanen’s skis were in the corner of the warehouse for some time. Now they were dug out once again for this winter’s snow.

“The last time I skied at home was on March 19. I went rollerblading more and more,” he said after the award ceremony.

Loading was also under a rock for the last races of the season. Niskanen fell ill in the middle of the Olympics, and the main distance 50 kilometers (p) ended in suspension as a result. The disappointment was severe.

“It’s been quite difficult to recharge. There hasn’t been any snow at home, and there were a few mental challenges as well. It did take a toll when I missed the race for the second year in a row due to illness. It felt amazing to go to the ski races when I started here this week. It was time to go one more time.”

Neck took his own in Friday’s race, but Finland’s comet for the rest of the season Alexander Stahlberg did a great job. Ståhlberg started the race even harder than Niska, but in the end had to give in with a gap of less than 20 seconds.

“Yes, you could really ski. Ståhlberg skied cheerfully, at the beginning it felt like I wasn’t quite up to speed. I think there was enough of a difference on the uphill section of the second round.”

Ståhlberg, 24, won no fewer than three medals from the 2021 World Youth Championships and was expected to add a new tooth to the national team. After this, several years have passed under the bench, but this spring the momentum has been found.

Niskanen hopes that Ståhlberg will be able to continue in the same way after the summer.

“Hopefully, the basic level can be raised. Now there have been really good skis at best, where you could establish yourself. When you are young and fit in the spring, you can go surprisingly well. I hope he will have an intact training season and can start next season at a new level,” Niskanen states.

Niskanen himself returns the skis to the corner of the warehouse after the Inari weekend. It’s vacation time.

“No trips abroad. Let’s settle for a little less, we’ll hardly go further than Helsinki,” the family man opens his vacation plans.