Since the 2022-2023 season, women and men have been competing over the same distances in the World Cup in cross-country skiing. The setup is being implemented for the first time at the World Championship in Trondheim.
Not everyone is thrilled about the change.
William Poromaa fought for medals, but finished eighth in the end, in Saturday's skiathlon – a distance that has been shortened from 30 to 20 kilometers.
Cross-country skiing for me is when it's really tough and long, that's what I've grown up with. I also think that many who watch think the same, it's just a matter of looking at the 50km, for example, many appreciate it when it's brutal.
"Wrong direction"
A longer skiathlon race would have meant greater opportunities to spread out the field. Now, all twelve skiers were in the decisive sprint finish, where Norwegian Johannes Høsflot Klæbo secured his second consecutive World Championship gold in Trondheim.
I think we're going in the wrong direction. I'm not going to stand here and be sour, I know what the conditions are. But you have to be allowed to have an opinion, and I think it's sad.
It makes a difference, and unfortunately for the worse for me.
Promising form
Does it feel hopeless when you see a handful of sprint specialists around you before the final?
A bit, yeah. You don't think too much about it, you're so focused and just do your own race. But it gets tough, it doesn't make it easier.
For William Poromaa, the frustration also stems from feeling in top form. That feeling he will take with him into upcoming competitions, next up being the 10km classical on Tuesday.
Absolutely. I had a feeling beforehand that the skiathlon had to work out and that, if I'm being completely honest, I need a bit of luck to succeed in getting onto the podium. If I had done that, I would have been really pleased. Now I have to try to forget this and look ahead.
