During a recent skiing competition in Val di Fiemme, Finnish skier Eero Hirvonen became visibly frustrated with Japan's Ryota Yamamoto, who was skiing closely behind him. The incident was captured on television, showing Hirvonen admonishing Yamamoto for clipping his skis multiple times during the race. Hirvonen commented on the tense atmosphere, as the competition involved vying for an Olympic medal, contributing to the heightened emotions and stress of the moment.

The race conditions added to the challenge, as competitors faced a heavy snowfall that made visibility difficult and resulted in a soft racing surface, with nearly 30 centimeters of snow accumulating throughout the day. Hirvonen noted the difficulties of navigating under such circumstances, having to remain cautious and focused to prevent mistakes.

The situation between Hirvonen and Yamamoto escalated when Yamamoto was involved in a collision with Germany’s Vinzenz Geiger, which Hirvonen attributed entirely to Geiger’s mistake. Following the incident, Hirvonen seemed to downplay the issue with Yamamoto, suggesting that apologies were made and nothing was damaged. The race illustrated the competitive nature of Olympic-level skiing and the added pressure that comes with it, particularly in challenging weather conditions.