A medal could hardly make Pia Fink happier. The cross-country skier finishes seventh at the Ski World Championships and is among the best in the world. She even trumps the German hopeful Katharina Hennig.
Pia Fink kept looking at the scoreboard in disbelief. Not Katharina Hennig or Victoria Carl, but she herself had just finished seventh for the best German World Cup result in cross-country skiing over ten kilometers in ten years. "I can't believe it. That can't be the result," said the 27-year-old in Planica. But it was true.
While hopeful Hennig missed the top ten in eleventh and Carl in 14th place, Fink got the best World Cup result since Miriam Gössner (now Neureuther) fourth place in 2013 in Val di Fiemme. "I'm pleased that Pia has entered the phalanx and it's not always 'Katha, Katha, Katha' or 'Vici, Vici, Vici'. That makes the team result all the more valuable," said national coach Peter Schlickenrieder.
Fink started cautiously in the fight against the clock, was only 20th after 4.5 kilometers, but then ignited the turbo. "I felt really good today," she said at the finish. Gold went to Jessie Diggins from the USA ahead of Sweden's Frida Karlsson and Ebba Andersson. Carl reached the finish completely exhausted. "I didn't feel good at all today," said the team sprint Olympic champion from Beijing.
For Hennig, on the other hand, three days after fourth place in the skiathlon, it was not enough to make it to the top. The woman from Oberwiesenthal had surprised in December in Lillehammer with second place in the free style she didn't like so much. "I'm still satisfied. This competition was the least priority for me," said the Saxon.
On the other hand, the top priority is the relay on Thursday, where it should finally work with the first German cross-country medal since 2011. "Of course the goal is the medal. It's also a step that we say it so openly. We know that everything has to be right, but the goal is there," said Hennig.
Schlickenrieder has already revealed that he will rely on Laura Gimmler, Hennig, Fink and Carl. "We'll probably set them up like this," said the DSV coach: "They should just approach things coolly and relaxed, be in the here and now. Something will come out after the finish line."
And so Schlickenrieder left the stadium, disappointed by the low number of spectators again, but enthusiastic about the team performance. "Three in the top 15, chapeau," said the national coach: "Now it's time to regenerate and not train so much - everything for the season."
