Women’s relay bronze marks Finland’s first cross-country-skiing medal in Vancouver

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Finland has finally won a medal in a cross-country-skiing event in the Vancouver Olympics. Finnish women secured the bronze medal in Thursday’s 4x5km relay.
     
Finland’s effort was completed by Aino-Kaisa Saarinen, whose anchor leg performance saw Finland cross the finishing line 30.4 seconds behind the winner, Norway.
      Before Saarinen the finish had already been reached by the overwhelming victor Norway’s Marit Björgen, as well as Germany’s Claudia Nystad, who managed to pull away from Saarinen moments earlier.
      The won bronze was the first Olympic cross-country relay medal for Finnish women in 22 years.
      The previous one, also a bronze, came from Calgary in 1988.
     
The opening leg saw Finland fall far behind the leading group. Pirjo Muranen had difficulties and finished her effort 12th 45.3 seconds behind the leader.
      Virpi Kuitunen brought Finland to the second changeover 42.5 seconds behind the leader Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland. In reality, however, Kuitunen managed to significantly reduce the distance between her and the main leading group, who were all trailing behind Kowalczyk.
     
Finland’s next representative Riitta-Liisa Roponen used the first free-style leg to catch up once and for all with the leaders and to include Finland in the battle for a medal. After the third leg Finland was in the third position and tightly in the same group with Germany and Sweden.
      “This was a pretty decent effort. Very close to my best possible, I would say”, Roponen commented on her skiing.
      For a long time Italy and Norway remained in the lead, but on the anchor leg Björgen managed to pull away from Sabina Valbusa. Eventually Valbusa’s speed just died and she was overtaken by Finland and Germany.
      Thus, Finland even had a shot for the silver medal, but in the end German Nystad’s sudden spurt proved too much for Saarinen.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finland´s poor showing in Winter Olympics calls for fundamental changes in sports and coaching structures (24.2.2010)

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