89th Lahti Ski Games get underway today

Oberhofen, Feb 27, 2014: Olympic medalists are back in action just one week after the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, when Lahti hosts the 89th Lahti Ski Games, with eight FIS World Cup events in Ski Jumping, Cross-Country and Nordic Combined from 28th February -2nd March.

Finnish Cross-Country skiing fans will have a chance to meet and greet their Olympic heroes, gold medalists Sami Jauhojärvi and Iivo Niskinen as well as relay silver medalists Anne Kylloenen, Aino Kaisa Saarinen, Kerttu Niskanen and Krista Lahteenamaki.

In addition to Finnish skiers, almost all Olympic medalists will be competing in Lahti in Cross-Country Skiing, Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping.

“As for Cross-Country we have 21 teams on our list, 11 in Nordic Combined and 14 in Ski Jumping. All of the famous names from the World Cup as well as winners from Sochi will be here,” says Competition Coordinator Jarkko Laine.

One big name that will be missing is 10 km Classic gold medal winner Justyna Kowalczyk who announced she will skip the World Cup in Lahti due to a foot injury. “The most important thing now is to find out the diagnoses of the foot. When all the checks are done and doctors have give their opinions, I will decide what to do next this season,” Kowalczyk said on her website.

Nine World Cup competitions will be staged at the Lahti Ski Games. Ladies’ and men’s free technique sprints on Saturday 1st March and individual 10 km ladies free and 15 km free on Sunday 2nd March.

Competition Program

Saturday, 1st March 2014

Quarterfinals sprint free ladies/men 14:00 LOC (13:00 CET)

Sunday, 2nd March 2014

Men 15 km free 10:45 LOC (09:45 CET)

Ladies 10 km free 13:35 LOC (12:35 CET)

Winners 2013

Ladies sprint free

1. Kikkan Randall USA

2. Marit Bjørgen NOR

3. Alena Prochazkova (SVK)

Men sprint free

1. Emil Joensson SWE

2. Ola Vigen Hattestad (NOR)

3. Finn Haagen Krogh (NOR)

Ladies 10 km classic

1. Justyna Kowalczyk POL

2. Marit Bjørgen NOR

3. Heidi Weng

Men 15 km classic

1. Petter Northug Jr. NOR

2. Alexey Poltoranin KAZ

3. Martin Johnsrud Sundby NOR. —- FIS