Finland v. Russia

At Falun, Sweden last week, Finns and Russians met on a happier battleground than they had during the winter war of 1939-40. The two nations, along with 18 others, met for the Federation International de Ski (F.I.S.) world championships in the "Nordic" division,/- i-e., jumping and cross-country races, where winning premiums are paid for stamina, endurance and style. The Russians, competing in their first F.I.S. championships, sent a big delegation: 32 skiers, including eight women, plus 19 "leaders," most of whom seemed to prefer fireside comforts to watching the Russian team in action.

Mostly, the amiable Russians seemed more bent on winning friends than influencing people. The Finns, on the other hand, were inclined to be a little grim. Finnish Coach Antera Lauri, who had taken a team to Russia the year before, scoffed at reports that the Russians were unbeatable. One Finnish skier was more explicit: "We're going to do to them what they did to us in the winter war."

The Men Compete. On opening day of the championships, despite sub-zero weather, little (pop. 18,000) Falun was jammed with some 50,000 ski-mad visitors. In the special jumping event, normally a Norwegian monopoly, the Finns, unveiling a modified "aerodynamic" technique, got their first triumph. Leaning out over his skis in an exaggerated bend that added his whole upper body to his soaring surface, Finland's Matti Pietikainen made jumps of 251 and 256 feet for an easy first place. Russia scored when bantam-size (5 ft. 3 in. 120 Ibs.) Vladimir Kusin, a Leningrad student, beat Finland's Veikko Hakulinen by 26 seconds in the 30-kilometer (about 18.6 miles) cross-country race. Asked which race he preferred, Kusin answered curtly: "The ones I win."

In the 15-kilometer cross-country race (9.3 miles) Russia's Kusin was a prime favorite, but the indomitable Finns refused to concede. Led by Hakulinen, a 29-year-old forestry student, Finland swept the race 1-2-3--and so delighted Finnish officials that they spontaneously burst out singing their national anthem, Maamme (Our Lord) while Russia's Kusin, angrily shrugging off newsmen, stalked away.

The Women Fight. It was also ladies' day in the 15-kilometer relay race, and produced something close to a diplomatic incident. On the first lap when Finland's Sirkka Polkunen tried to pass Russia's Lubov Kosyreva, the Russian girl stuck out her ski pole to keep the Finn from passing, and the girls scuffled for a moment or two.

The Russian women won the race by 25 seconds, but the Finns decided not to enter a protest. As it turned out, the Finns hardly needed the event. This week, after they had whipped the Russians again in the 40-kilometer (24.8 miles) relay event, lost the 50-kilometer cross-country race, the unofficial scoring showed the Finns first with 75 points, Russia second with 42.

/-In contrast to the "Alpine" division of downhill and slalom racing, where Central Europeans usually manage to outclass the Scandinavians.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.