Thrilling sprint in the Swedish Championship mass start
“I was very lucky at the end,” Sömskar tells SVT about the sprint finish at the Swedish Championship mass start.
A few hours ago, in the men’s race, Eric Rosjö broke away early and went home with a superior victory.
On the women’s side, it was even tighter in the mass start race over 15 kilometers in freestyle technique. After being in a big group for the first four laps, Linn Sömskar increased the speed on the fifth lap, and a solid quartet, including Moa Hansson, Ebba Stenman, and Ella Selmosson, was formed.
Selmosson pushed ahead until just under a kilometer remained, and then Stenman increased the speed, which caused Selmosson to drop.
With 300 meters to go, Moa Hansson broke away, and it looked like Hansson had the grip, but first, she slipped with her roller ski, and then her bib got stuck in the pole.
Then last season’s World Cup winner on roller skis, Linn Sömskar, could sneak past:
“It was nice but really hard. It was very windy, so taking as little wind as possible was important. I tried to keep along as long as possible, and then I hoped for good old form in the sprint,” Sömskar smiled in the victory interview with SVT.
“Then I was very lucky at the end,” says Sömskar humbly.
The third place went to Ebba Stenman, six seconds from victory.
On Saturday, the roller skiing part of the Swedish Championship Week ends in Västerås with a sprint in freestyle technique.
Swedish Championships Week – Roller Ski Mass Start
- Linn Sömskar, Umeå, 42:07.4
- Moa Hansson, Falun Borlänge, +0.1
- Ebba Stenman, Umeå, +6.0
- Ella Selmosson, Falun Borlänge, +15.9
- Johanna Hägg, Finspång, +55.3
- Mira Göransson, Borås, +55.6
Earlier in the day, it was time for the men’s mass start race.
Read More: Rosjö superior at the Swedish Championship mass start
Swedish Championships Week – Roller Ski Mass Start
- Eric Rosjö, Mora, 35:36
- Karl-Johan Westberg, Borås, +41.1
- Alfred Buskqvist, Stern, +41.4
- Simon Karlsson, Umeå, +41.5
- Gustaf Berglund, Mora, +41.7
Are you interested in traditional cross-country skiing? Click HERE and read more about it.