This morning the 30km Finnish Championships took place in Espoo.
Only five athletes at the start.
30km road walk
The race is in fact a solo of Veli-Matti Partanen who in the post race has defined this the best race of his career.
The strong Finnish athlete, coached by Valentin Kononen, had already amazed on Wednesday June 13, 2018 on the 5,000m track at Espoo with a great time of 18:43.13 lowering the record of his coach (18:52.24 established in Lapinlahti, FIN on June 24, 1995).
This time he had earned him the seasonal world leadership on the 5,000m track walk, and only athlete, at the moment to fall below 19:00.00.
Memories among other things of his beautiful 50km of Dudince last March 24, 2018 when he finished second behind Matej Toth in 3:44:43, there was no doubt that his was a very interesting race, which places him now as one of the candidates for medals at the European Championships in Berlin 2018.
At 5km
Veli-Matti Partanen (FIN) took the lead in 21:16
Followed by Aleksi Ojala (FIN) at 32" (21:28) and Jarkko Kinnunen (FIN) at 37" (21:53)
The other two participants are already far behind: Elmo Koivunen (24:57) and Kari Laiho (29:39)
At 10km
Veli-Matti Partanen (FIN) passes in 42:28 (second 5km in 21:32)
Aleksi Ojala (FIN) is now 1:14 away (44:03 with the second 5km in 22:35)
Jarkko Kinnunen (FIN) passes to 1:31 (44:20 with the second 5km in 22:37)
At 15km (half race)
Veli-Matti Partanen (FIN) passes in 1:04:13 (thirds 5km in 22:45)
Aleksi Ojala (FIN) is now 2:09 away (1:06:23 with third 5km in 22:20)
Jarkko Kinnunen (FIN) passes to 2:27 (1:06:40 with the third 5km in 22:20)
At 20km
Veli-Matti Partanen (FIN) passes in 1:25:30 (quarters 5km in 21:17)
Aleksi Ojala (FIN) is now 3:04 away (1:28:34 with the fourth 5km in 22:11)
Jarkko Kinnunen (FIN) passes to 3:38 (1:29:09 with the fourth 5km in 22:29)
At 25km
Veli-Matti Partanen (FIN) finds the strength to increase the pace and passes in 1:46:27 (fifth 5km in 20:57)
Jarkko Kinnunen (FIN) is now in second place in 1:50:59 (at 4:30) with the fifth fraction of the race in 21:50)
Aleksi Ojala (FIN) victim of a slight crisis is now at 5:10 (1:51:37 with the fifth 5km in 23:03)
At arrival
Veli-Matti Partanen (FIN) still increases the pace (it will be his fastest 5km in 20:36) and wins in 2:07:03
Second place to Jarkko Kinnunen (FIN) in 2:13:26 (last 5km in 22:27) detached by 6:23
Third place to Aleksi Ojala (FIN) in 2:14:20 (last 5km in 22:43) detached by 7:17
20km women
Victory to Elisa Neuvonen (FIN) in 1:38:31
Second place to Tiia Kuikka (FIN) in 1:39:56
Third place to Hele Haapaniemi (FIN) in 1:42:51
10km U20 women
Victory to Anniina Kivimaki (FIN) in 50:46
Full results in the section Results or directly download from this link: click here
Full results of Motonet Grand Prix - Espoo (FIN) dated June 13, 2018 in the section Results or directly download from this link: click here