The Lahti Ski Games Saturday got started with the Nordic Combined competition in great weather conditions. Johannes Lamparter from Austria took the lead after ski jumping, while Ilkka Herola wowed the audience by jumping to eighth place.
The event area was packed with people from the morning onwards. Among the attendees was the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb. Between the sprint races, the President met with, among others, event volunteers, Olympic champion Iivo Niskanen, and the Mayor of Lahti, Niko Kyynäräinen.
The afternoon started with the women’s and men’s Team Sprint finals. The races took place in beautiful weather with an incredible crowd. Laura Gimmler and Coletta Rydzek from Germany won the women’s team sprint with an outstanding finish. Norway’s Even Northug and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo claimed victory in the men’s action-packed team sprint.
After the Team Sprints, it was time for the Nordic Combined athletes to take over the skiing tracks. Despite strong chase efforts, Johannes Lamparter was crowned the winner. Germany’s Julian Schmid had a great race and climbed to the podium. Ilkka Herola finished fourth after a great performance.
As the sun began to set, the audience gathered in the Ski Jumping Stadium to watch the men’s Ski Jumping HS130 competition. Between the final rounds, Finnish ski jumping legends Janne Ahonen and Toni Nieminen went head-to-head in a nostalgic duel.
Slovakia’s Anze Lanisek eventually took the win, with Austria’s Stefan Kraft in second place and Poland’s Pawel Wasek in third. The best Finn was a World Cup debutant Tomas Kuisma, who jumped brilliantly to finish in the top 30.
The night was crowned with the traditional fireworks display, after which the crowd continued the celebrations at the OmaSp Fan Zone’s After Ski party.
The total attendance of the day surprised even the organizers
“Today, we experienced an incredible celebration of sports as 28,000 spectators created an unforgettable atmosphere at the venue. The weather was on our side, the competitions provided unforgettable moments, and our fantastic team ensured everything ran smoothly. A special thanks goes to our volunteers – without their dedication, an event like this would not be possible,” praised the event’s Secretary General, Tomi-Pekka Kolu.
“Lahti Ski Games is all about big emotions, and today was no exception. The duel between Janne Ahonen and Toni Nieminen in the middle of the ski jumping competition gave the entire audience chills – absolutely amazing that they went all in! This day once again proved how strong the community around Lahti Ski Games truly is.”
