The Ski Federation will announce its new lubrication manager next week.
According to Urheilu’s information Heikki Tonteri has been chosen as the lubrication manager of the cross country team.
The plot inherits the washing machine From Mika Venäläinen, who informed Planica at the time of the World Cup that he is not willing to continue in the position. The Russian served as the national team’s lubrication manager for two years.
Executive Director of the Ski Association Ismo Hämäläinen admitted on Friday that the decision on the new lubrication manager was made on Thursday. However, Hämäläinen did not agree to confirm Tonter’s choice.
– I cannot confirm the name, because there is no such name in the paper. Then when the name is in the employment contract, I can confirm. I can tell you that there were three applicants, Hämäläinen said.
According to Hämäläinen, the selection is to be announced next week. Urheilu found out that the other two professionals in the lubrication industry who applied to wash were Aki Hukka and Mika Ström. Both admitted that they submitted an application and were informed that they were not selected.
Urheilu also reached Tonteri, who did not admit that he was the new lubrication manager.
– Discussions have taken place, but the agreement has not been signed yet, Tonteri said on Friday.
Tonteri said that he was talked into getting washed.
– Came from behind a tree, did I really have support for this job. When these core group members were a little like behind it, I put the paper forward, Tonteri said.
A long-distance skier
Tonteri started as a ski supervisor in the B national team in the 2011–2012 season. After that, he moved to the A national team, where he served as the grip lubrication officer at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and a year later at the World Championships in Falun.
In 2016–2017, Tonteri moved to sharpening skis not only for the cross country team but also for the biathlon team (Oslo World Championships 2016).
After the 2017 World Championships in Lahti, Tonteri has been part of the cross-country and combined national team as a gig worker.
– At the World Championships in Seefeld (2019) I was not in the maintenance group, but I was also testing grips when I was there as a tourist. They grabbed me for testing work in the middle of the games, Tonteri recalled.
He served as a grip lubrication tester at the recently held World Championships in Planica and at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. In Beijing, the Finns won no fewer than six medals.
– I like testing hold creams the most. That’s probably where I’m at my best. It has always been my thing, Tonteri said.
A grim prediction
All the lubrication experts interviewed by Urheilu describe that the starting points for next season are the most challenging ever in terms of maintenance.
The international skiing federation FIS announced at the end of last season that the ban on the use of fluoride creams, postponed for three years, will come into effect next winter.
Tonteri estimates that the ban will significantly increase the workload of maintenance teams and cause problems for the sport.
– Although some may imagine that small countries are doing better now, the differences are only growing, Tonteri said.
There is truth in the words, as the importance of ski sharpening increases even more with the fluoride ban.
Although the resources of the Finnish cross-country team are not comparable to those of Norway and Sweden, the lubrication team led by Tonteri belongs to the top of the sport in terms of investments. On the other hand, small ski resorts cannot afford to invest in grinding and testing to the same extent.
– As the importance of skis and grinding increases, the differences in gliding increase. When fluorides were in use, they were able to smooth out the differences between a ski with a bad profile and a ski with a good one. I’m terribly afraid that there will be problems, Tonteri said.