The Finnish cross-country team was successful this season on a large front and won the jackpot at the Beijing Olympics, according to Sport’s experts. The experts will raise their hats for both head coach Teemu Pasanen and the skiers’ personal coaches.
Riku Salminen,
Jussi Vainikka,
Anu Karttunen
This season, the Finnish cross-country team won six Olympic medals, eleven World Cup prizes and two new skiers for World Cup prizes in individual competitions when Joni Mäki was second in the Falun Sprint and Johanna Matintalo third in the Oberstdorf sprint. When the World Championship gold of the Youth and the Silver of the Junior World Championships are added to this, the season can be said to have been a complete hit for Finnish skiing.
– The season was a huge success. Finland won the jackpot at the Olympics, and through it it can be said that Finland was at the heart of top sports and succeeded perfectly at the most important moment, Sport’s expert Toni Roponen glowed on Sunday at the Sports Studio.
An expert in Sport also agreed Kalle Lassilawho stated that the Finnish skiing community and community is often too critical.
– This season, instead of criticizing it, it is worth raising the hat Teemu Pasasen led by the orchestra and the activities of the Ski Association. There is no indication in any age group that something has gone bad or even mediocre on behalf of coaching, organization or system, that it has not allowed individual athletes to perform well, Lassila said.
Niskanen’s practice years paid off
In Lassila’s opinion, this season has even been exceptional, when in addition to the successes of top skiers and national team athletes, a considerable number of new athletes have risen to the World Cup points.
Finland was fourth in the World Cup competition between the countries, and 11 Finnish women and 13 Finns took World Cup points this season. Last year, Finland was sixth in the same race and there were one less in both.
– Over the years, we have been watching with excitement what happens when the top athletes move aside. In the past, even scoring places in the World Cup have been distant dreams. Now you can clearly see that there will be athletes behind the national team in the World Cup competitions, they will be able to adapt to the international level and reach the point level very quickly, Lassila said.
In light of the points, it is also significant that this season Iivo Niskanen was third in the overall cup, when last year he was 23rd on the women’s side as the best Finnish man Krista Pärmäkoski was fourth when he was 12 last winter.
Niskanen also won the Cup for normal trips and the Kuopio resident himself said that this winter was the best season of his career. Lassila agrees.
– He achieved top achievements in the main goals of the season at the Olympics and he was clearly the best skier in the world on a traditional normal trip in the World Cup, Lassila glowed.
Niskanen also succeeded in freestyle skiing, although that is not the strength of a Finnish skier. He also didn’t compete sparingly this season, but was able to ski at a tough level throughout the season. According to Lassila, the training years have done their job, and it is now reflected in the results.
– He was able to be strong from the beginning to the end of the season, especially in those areas where he is at his strongest. That’s because Niskanen’s basic level has risen to a level where he’s able to perform at a very good level throughout the season. In the past, he has not endured so many races and has had to aim for that top condition as the main goal.
The significance of Pärmäkoski for the team is huge
On the women’s side, Krista Pärmäkoski has been the team’s number one gunner for a very long time, but this season Kerttu Niskanen rose back into the top fight.
– Krista was able to tighten her condition for this season in an even better direction. Kertu’s performances are really gratifying. After great difficulty, he was able to return and reach the best of his career, Lassila said.
According to Lassila, the significance of Pärmäkoski for the team is huge, because as an athlete and a person, this is one that can support the team with its own activities and example.
– When the other team has had difficulties, Krista has been able to maintain her level here over the years. It has been of great importance to the whole team and to the whole sport in general, Lassila reminded.
According to Lassila and Roponen, both Finnish men and women did well behind the top three. Nearly everyone was able to stretch to the best performance of their career at some point during this season.
– When athletes are able to perform the best performances of their careers in individual competitions during the season, then it is known that the training has been successful. When an athlete makes the best individual performances of his career, he can’t even demand more of it, Lassila reminded.
Pasanen has shown that the man is in place
At least Teemu Pasanen, the coach of the Finnish national ski team, Ville Oksanen and Mikko Virtanen contracts are interrupted. Pasanen has said that he does not yet know if he wants to continue as head coach, but Toni Roponen thinks this is just a “sensible language of communication”.
– The results speak for themselves. He has made the team work together, with the support of the top sports unit, the team survived the Korona issues perfectly and the preparations for the Olympics were complete, Roponen said.
– In general, when a result is made in top sports, coaches do not have to present themselves. Yes, the decision-makers will then turn the agreement so that Pasanen’s Teemu will be able to continue.
Roponen reminds that Niskaste’s siblings, Pärmäkoski and Joni Mäki, had the greatest responsibility for success, and in their background, personal coaches have done a greater job than the head coach of the national team.
– But Pasanen has shown that he is in place. He has received trust from athletes and personal trainers, Roponen said.
– In my opinion, there is no reason to change the head coach at this stage, because it has been possible to read from that between the lines that Pasanen is satisfied with his own work. I believe that Pasanen will also be Finland’s leading coach at the next Olympics.