The results of the sprint in Davos outraged ski experts and sowed enmity between the Scandinavian neighbors.
The results of the sprint races as part of the iconic stage race hardly surprised the fans. In both Toblach and Davos the winners were identical.
However, in the distribution of prize places everything turned out to be not so clear. On the Swiss track, the judges for some reason decided that the Norwegian Skistad was allowed to do everything, and turned a blind eye to the girl’s impudence.
Christine reached silver, and the refereeing principles reached the point of insanity.
Roots of the problem
The confrontation between the Swedish sprint team and the lone Norwegian Skistad has become a classic over the past couple of seasons and the only intrigue of these races. The number of contacts on the verge of a foul, caustic interviews after and insinuations about the team tactics of the girls from Tre Kronor is incalculable.
So at the start of the Tour de Ski, the Norwegian got it. Having confidently overcome all the stages of the playoffs, in the final Christine rested her ski on Ribom’s equipment on the last climb and, in fact, ended the fight for gold. She remembered how her neighbors left the Norwegian woman with bronze in Toblach.
A few days later in Davos, Christine decided to be tougher and, by a strange coincidence, “cut” her way to the finals with the same Reeb. This time Skistad also followed the Swede’s back, but, unlike Toblach’s negative experience, she took everything into her own hands and simply cut off her opponent with her ski. Ribom fell and rolled to the finish line in last place in this race in tears.
Emma Reebhom / Photo: © Mathias Bergeld / Keystone Press Agency / Global Look Press
– It was terribly offensive. I didn’t see the episode, but I felt like I was run into from behind. In such situations it is difficult to stay on your feet,” Emma told Swedish journalists immediately after the race. The victim pointedly did not communicate with the Norwegian media.
Polar points of view
Even before the final race, where the Norwegian qualified, her compatriots were intensely scratching their heads – after such aggressive behavior on the track, the judges should have disqualified Skistad:
“They have enlarged angles that show that Skistad initiated the contact. She’s riding behind and probably clips Rib. At least there is contact, says NRK expert Fredrik Åkland.
Another specialist, Yann Post, also agrees with his colleague:
“I think Skistad stumbled upon her.” This is a job for the judging committee,” the commentator exclaimed as Ribohm fell.
However, there were no changes to the starting list before the final. The Norwegian entered the distance unhindered and took silver. The judges were probably watching a different episode. It is difficult to explain the nature of their comments in any other way:
“It was a working moment on the track when Kristin Skistad touched Emma Riebom’s ski,” said FIS representative Doris Cullen.
Jessica Diggins / Photo: © Mathias Bergeld / Keystone Press Agency / Global Look Press
The heroine of the episode herself decided, instead of smoothing out the conflict, to work on its development, leaving a provocative message on her page on the social network:
— I’m going home to train while the Swedes are busy with showdowns with the judges.
What may be even more annoying is the fact that, in contrast to this decision on the Norwegian, the judges gave a yellow card to the American sprint bronze medalist Diggins for a much less obvious episode with blocking Matilda Myhrvold in the final. Colleagues overseas, of course, were aroused by this outrage, filed a protest and… Jesse’s punishment was lifted.
It’s easy to understand how the judging system at the Tour de Ski works: the organizers are not ready to sacrifice intrigue, which has been dying in recent seasons. So removing Skistad – the only one who really fights with the Swedes in the sprint – is bad from the point of view of the show and the audience. Sports principles are simply relegated to the background.
2024-01-04 11:13:57
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