There were flashes of light in Finnish ski jumping on Saturday, of which the greatest attention was focused on the 20-year-old Kasperi Valto.
The talent of the Lahti Ski Club competed in the World Cup for only the second time, but he jumped no less than 137.5 meters on the Ruka HS 142 hill in the opening round. Because Valto was ninth in the results of the 1st round.
The 120-meter in the second round dropped Valto to 24th place in the final results. Antti Aalto (18:s) and Niko Kytösaho (19:s).
– I had a good feeling from this race. This is kind of long distance wrestling for us. The rise must be built step by step. Such a result confirms that we are on the right track Mika Kojonkoski said Saturday night.
Although Valto only succeeded in his second competition jump, the result of the opening round was no accident. He also jumped 137 meters in the test round.
– Kasperi has been doing great. I thought it was a victory to have one good jump in the competition. Kasper’s talent and performance have been on display. When you do the right things, with a good attitude and a lot in quantity, results will come, Kojonkoski beamed and also described the team’s result as a clear step forward.
Last year, only three Finns made it to Ruka’s opening race, but this time there were six who passed the qualifying sieve.
In the results, it should be noted that the International Ski Federation FIS tightened the athlete quota of the six largest hilly countries from six to five athletes for this season. The large number of athletes in Finland is explained by the national group, which the organizing country has the right to announce for the qualification.
The reform will make it easier for athletes from smaller hilly countries to not only qualify for the competition, i.e. the top 50, but also for points in the competition, i.e. the top 30. However, three Finns would have scored points in Saturday’s race even with the old system.
– The self-confidence of teams and individuals is built from small things in a long way. This race does not change black to white, but it is an important small confirmation. We are humbled that tomorrow is a new day and new challenges. However, I know that the boys’ performance at their best is even better than that, Kojonkoski said.
“Like wrestling”
Germany and Austria were the successful countries of Saturday’s race, while the biggest disappointments were Norway and Poland. If the Polish team collected 3rd, 4th, 17th and 25th places from last year’s Ruka opening, now Dawid Kubacki was the only one to reach the points and was only 22nd.
– There are six strong countries in hill jumping, although Poland did not succeed today. It is really difficult to join that group with the resources we have at our disposal, Kojonkoski said.
After the financially difficult last season, the Ski Association laid off its staff in the summer. The Mäkimaa team had three international race weekends in the summer, two of which were at the summer GP and one at the Continental Cup.
National team activities did not get started properly until August.
– Mäki has tightened his purse strings the most. We have two fewer staff years than last year, and the start of employment has been postponed by a total of about ten months, i.e. laid off or otherwise just postponed. So this has been quite a struggle, Kojonkoski said.
Kojonkoski did not want to reveal how much the budget has tightened since last season.
– I’m not talking about any sums. We can live with the A national team, but we should be able to make the future at the same time. It’s really challenging at the moment. We don’t know what resources are used to do it. I could cry about this, but I won’t. This is the situation now, and we will get through this.
Not on the minimum plan
Kojonkoski did not directly answer the question whether the Finnish men’s hill country team will be seen in all World Cup competitions during the season.
– I think we have an obligation to our sponsors that we participate in the World Cup. The biggest challenge is in equipment development and athletes coming from the background, i.e. whether we can compete in the Continental Cup (2nd level) and the FIS Cup (3rd level).
– We have a good plan, which has also been discussed by the Ski Federation’s executive board. I think that is the minimum plan we can use to make the future. We are currently unable to run it.
Although the golden years of Finnish ski jumpers have long passed, the importance of the sport is still huge for the Ski Association’s finances. The TV and marketing compensation from hill jumping enables the Ski Federation to make a positive result from the World Cups in Ruka and Salpausselkä and to channel the profits into Finnish skiing.
A sample of the development of the new generation of jumpers was obtained last February, when Vilho Palosaari won the youth world championship – Valto, who has now shone in Ruka, was 30th in Palosaari’s World Championship gold competition.
– Young athletes should be able to compete constantly. Kasperi said that he has a five-year project to reach the top of the world. It’s the right attitude, even if it’s about a guy of that level. That pretty much describes what this game is these days. The old world where we remember, for example Toni Nieminen golden years, it’s been and gone. That is no longer possible. You have to work determinedly and long-term, and that also requires a bit of resources.
– However, I repeat that I will not start crying for anything. As coaches, leaders and athletes, we look in the mirror every day and ask what I can do better. It is the cornerstone of a successful organization, Kojonkoski said.