IFK Göteborg’s dominance in the Venla Relay continues. The Swedes took first place in Kotka-Jukola for the fourth time in the last five years, when anchor runner Sanna Fasth caught Kalevan Rasti’s Elisa Mattila, who had a lead of one and a half minutes, and went on to win by a margin of one minute.
– It wasn’t easy, Fast said.
– The terrain was difficult. It was flat and everything is so green this time of year. Even in the white areas you couldn’t see very far. You couldn’t just go and run, you really had to use your compass.
Marika Teini had put Kalevan Rasti in the lead during the third leg and hopes of the first Finnish victory in 16 years were high.
– Of course, you always want to win, and this time, it wasn’t far off. For the first time in a while, we had a realistic chance. The gap between the teams has been bigger before, Teini said.
Elisa Mattila admitted that she didn’t have a chance to beat Fasth in the end.
– I knew it would have to be a pretty good day to be able to challenge Sanna, Mattila said.
The role of chaser suited Fast well. She reached Mattila on the long tenth control leg when the leading duo chose different route options.
– I would rather go after than run in the lead. On that long leg I made a good choice. I didn’t know how much the gap was, or whether I was first or second. Then suddenly we were together, and the finish went well, Fasth said.
In addition to Fast, the winning team included Erika Källvik Leufvén, Malin Agervig Kristiansson and Johanna Källvik Leufvén.
– We’ll celebrate by taking a sauna, Fasth laughed after the rainy and chilly relay.
Strong Finnish performance
The top two teams were in a class of their own, as the Norwegian team Nydalens SK, which finished third, lost to the winners by more than five minutes. The Finnish performance was strong, with Paimion Rasti finishing fourth, Tampereen Pyrintö sixth and Suunta Jyväskylä seventh.
The most recent Finnish victory in the Venla Relay remains Tampereen Pyrintö’s win in Kytäjä in 2010.
Text: Jukka Lehtoranta – Jukola Media Team
Photo: Ilkka Metsälä