Finnish Nordic Combined News
Finnish team beated French team in a camp competition
Finnish Nordic Combined Team had favourable conditions until the end (Oct 19) of its training camp in Ramsau, Austria.
- We were able to xc ski on the glacier in awesome conditions also in afternoons, cause it was cold enough and snow stayed dry. That was the first time ever on my glacier-career, Head Coach Jyri Pelkonen says.
The camp was successful also what comes to training itself. Pelkonen says there were not even slightest issue, the athletes were able to train according plans and they did it well.
Finnish team and French A-team competed in a camp competition on Oct 18. Finnish team beated its rivals by 25 seconds. Hannu Manninen won the competition, and was followed by Jaakko Tallus and France´s Kevin Arnould, who was best in jumping. Jouni Kaitainen was 5th, Samppa Lajunen 6th and Antti Kuisma 8th.
- We lost 2km/h in speed compared to French guys. Watering system was frozen, and in-run track condition favoured French team who trained in similar conditions on the day before when we didn´t jump, Pelkonen explains.
In 5 k Cross Country the Finns were strong. Every Finn was faster than the best French athlete in the uphill-course.
- We have to remember the roller-skis were maybe not equally good for everybody. Anyway, I am satisfied with the Cross Country race and of course pleased that we were better than the team France, Pelkonen smiles.
Hakala´s extension still open
Vesa Hakala has been Pelkonen´s assistant mostly in jumping during the fall, but his contract runs only until the end of November. Hakala has applied a job and his extension contract depends on the applied job, if he gets it or not.
- I assume we´ll know it in two weeks. Mentally I am already prepared that Vesku is not in team after Kuusamo World Cup opening.
Coming up
The Nordic Combined team will next attend the annual Skiexpo in Helsinki Oct 31-Nov 1.
- There is a plan also to play on Friday 31st an ice-hockey match together with the Finnish Ski Jumping team against a team formed by our main sponsor SGN, Pelkonen tells.
After Skiexpo the team will be heading to Vuokatti for a snow camp (Nov 2-9).
Heidi Lehikoinen
27.10.2003