The Olympic rematch 45 years in the making

A rematch 45 years in the making! In one of the closest finishes in Olympic history, Sweden’s Thomas Wassberg edged out Finland’s Juha Mieto by just one-hundredth of a second in the 15km cross-country ski race at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics.

That moment became legendary in Scandinavia, but the two skiers have finally met again for a rematch. On 23 March 2025, Not by the Playbook's Erika Benke was in Finland to capture the action, the nostalgia, and the spirit of friendly rivalry.

(Photo: Sweden’s Thomas Wassberg and Finland’s Juha Mieto cross the finish line together. CREDIT: Matti Huutoniemi)