The Finnish cheerleading national team is applying for the fourth consecutive world championship in the United States after Easter. The biggest enthusiasm is to be able to perform in front of an audience after a three-year break.
– I consider the starting point a privilege. It’s a suitable title for our team and we’ve embraced it really well.
Title to which is the captain of the Finnish women’s cheerleading national team Emmi Reenkola refers to the “world champion”. And the starting point is that Finland has won the last three World Cup gold. So now the United States, Orlando, is looking for the fourth consecutive World Championship.
And there’s no doubt on the team that Florida would come home with the fourth World Cup gold as well. The line-up in the Finnish women’s cheer series has remained almost unchanged for a few years. It brings the necessary strength and credit to teammates both physically and mentally.
According to Reenkola, especially in the pyramid sections that require physicality, it is important that everyone knows their place and everyone’s strengths. Mental strength, in turn, is enhanced by the fact that teammates have already become good friends.
– Transparency is important. We know each other really well. We are not just colleagues but best friends. Yes, it’s a really big advantage in the race when you’re there with the best guys, Reenkola ponders.
Finland determines the skill level
The United States ruled the species for a long time, but Finland also managed to surprise its strong pre-emption in 2018, and since then the scepter of the species has been in Finland. Although the level of requirements in technical proficiency is increasing year by year, the team still has strong confidence in its own skill level.
– It’s a little out of us. We are that pioneering team and we can determine for ourselves what new can be done, head coach Maria Wahlroos open stills.
Even in this year’s program, Finland aims to be ahead of the others in the skill level and to present something that has not yet been seen. In addition, coach trio Wahlroos, Tytti Tamminen and Ina Tiittula have wanted to invest even more in visuals.
– We have been looking for big elements and a little surprise, especially in the pyramids. Skills that sports people might not have seen in every race. We’ve tried to make the program as entertaining as possible, which the audience would be interested in for just over two minutes, Wahlroos says.
– In addition, we have paid a lot of attention to detail, sought to add height, airiness and similarity to the throws, and this applies to just about every skill in this program. We have tried to make it as uniform and similar as possible among the athletes, he continues.
Risk-taking must be kept under control
Captain Reenkola’s own favorites include the technically demanding part, which the team presented in its program last year.
– We have a lift that starts up from the Arab and through it with a spiral volt. No one else has ever done that before. We did it ourselves last year at that virtual World Cup. But it was clear to us from the beginning that we want to experience it in front of the audience as well, Reenkola is excited and not waiting to see and experience the reactions of the audience.
Reenkola is also excited about the rest of the program.
– Especially in our final pyramid there is a wonderful song in the background and we do it all together. It is visual and gathers a lot of “popula” on top of two people. It has all our strengths on display, Reenkola entices.
Despite the technical skill and demandingness, however, the most important thing in World Championships is to do a clean run. You can’t afford mistakes. Although there is a desire to learn new elements, according to Wahlroos, the most important thing is to try to keep risk-taking under control.
– It is not worth bringing too much something new, although it is worth keeping the interest and renewal of the species. But, if we go to do something too difficult and it doesn’t work out, then I think we have more sweaty places to get to, Wahlroos ponders.
In front of the public after a three-year break
Getting in front of an audience is by far one of the most exciting things at this year’s World Cup. Finland was last announced in front of a live audience as the world champion 2019 in the same place, Orlando. In 2020, the medals were not distributed and last year the race was held virtual.
– The audience must be prepared mentally. But once again, the good thing is that we have an experienced team. Many have been able to tell those who have not yet been on stage what it is like, Reenkola says.
And the roar of the audience is not too surprising. The team already got a feel for it when presenting the program in Vierumäki in connection with a camp competition organized by the association.
– That audience was completely insane. Some already compared it to the World Cup audience. So all the means have already been put in place so that we can now only enjoy the race, Reenkola laughs.
In the women’s cheer series, the finals will take place in Finnish time on the night of April 23, ie the night between Friday and Saturday. Finland has a total of six national teams in Orlando.