The Finnish pole sponsor plans to talk to Iivo Niskanen in the beginning week. The Norwegian manufacturer approached the marketing of its products with humor.
HONEYMOON. Iivo Niskanen was surprised on Sunday in Kuusamo, when Urheilu told him the CEO Aki Tuovinen from the reaction to Saturday’s pole slamming at the finish line of the World Cup 10km (p) race.
The managing director of the Finnish unit of Brav, the company that imports Swix poles, stated that he intends to hold an interview with the athlete based on the cooperation agreement, but that he does not intend to disturb him during the competition. According to Tuovinen, Niskanen’s actions were not in line with the company’s values.
However, Tuovinen reminded that his company and Niskasen have five years of high-quality and trouble-free cooperation behind them.
– I haven’t been able to prepare for such a (conversation). However, everything happened with a smile, and the poles were definitely not to blame for the result, Niskanen stated.
Instead, nothing but incense rained down on Niskanen from Swix’s Norwegian headquarters, when Urheilu reached out to the marketing manager on Sunday by Håvard Rönning. He had seen Saturday’s stick episode many times, which has been a well-watched material online.
– At least now you know what our products can withstand. There are no negative sanctions coming from our direction. Sports are emotions, and Iivo showed them on Saturday. And very soon he will be standing with our baton in the winner’s place on the podium.
“When we win”
Niskanen burst out laughing when asked if he plans to throw his rods in the future if the result is not satisfactory.
– Next time, when we win.
The events in the goal area were followed with particular interest by those who were basking in the colorful headlines at the time Petter Northug. The skiing legend and Niskanen’s good friend is at Ruka as an expert for Norway’s TV2. He also skied and skis with Swix poles.
– In terms of form, quite a lot of people learned on Saturday which pole brand Iivo skis with. So, in that sense, it was excellent TV advertising time.
Northug also received a “yellow card” from his pole sponsor.
– I removed the logo laminates from the stick to make it lighter. Maybe it was two seconds at 15 kilometers that mattered.
With the black tube exposed from under the tapes, Northug recalled that he had skied e.g. Ruka 15 kilometers (p) to victory in 2009. The margin of victory was 1.2 seconds.
Niskanen also received quite a bit of flack for his trick on Saturday, and for example, the skiing legend highly regarded by the Olympic hero, Ilta-Sanomi’s expert Harri Kirvesniemi pulled Vieremä’s man in front of him under the keel.
– It has passed me by, I haven’t followed, Niskanen stated.
Feedback also came from skiing fans, for example in the Urheilustudio’s chat.
Total profit is not the goal
Niskanen, who finished 13th in Sunday’s 20-kilometer mass start in his freestyle skiing, was relatively satisfied, especially considering how much the man has invested in his weaker skiing recently. The World Cup continues next weekend in Jällivaara, Sweden with freestyle skiing, and Niskanen will miss the trip.
– The overall victory in the World Cup is not the goal, says Niskanen, who is expecting particularly hard results from the Tour de Ski and the Oslo World Cup 50 km from the season that has started.
In Sunday’s winner Jan Thomas in Jenssen culminating in the harsh realism of Norwegian skiing. The first place was awarded to the 27-year-old athletic athlete in the 13th World Cup start of his career.
The last time Jenssen skied the World Cup was in March 2020. In 2016, Jenssen, who has since been profiled as the star of the Scandinavian Cup and the FIS Games, was winning the youth World Cup relay gold in e.g. Johannes Hösflot Kläbon with.
Story edited on 26.11. at 17:03: Added comments from Swix marketing manager Håvard Rönning.