Iivo Niskanen out of the national skiing team – the head coach explained the star skier’s decision and regretted the shrinking of the camp budget

The Finnish Ski Federation announces that the cross-country A national team for the upcoming season has been named.

The team has been condensed from last season. 17 athletes have been selected for the group; eight women and nine men. Before last season, 20 athletes were selected for the national team; seven women and 13 men.

Head coach of the cross country team Teemu Pasanen says that all those selected for the national team have skied hard results last season.

– In practice, everyone on the men’s side had to ski in the top ten at least once last season. It’s a close-knit and hard-working group, the same on the women’s side, Pasanen tells Urheilu.

The focus for the coming season, when there are no value competitions, are raising the athletes’ basic level, developing their characteristics, and the results of the World Cup. The work is aimed at the 2025 World Championships and the 2026 Olympics.

Iivo Niskanen outside, Eveliina Piippo on the sidelines from the camps

– Individual solutions have been made for the national team camps according to the needs of the athletes. Iivo Niskanen is not involved in the national team activities of the training season. Eveliina Piippo is involved in the national team activities of the training season, but does not participate in the camp, the announcement of the Ski Association said.

According to Pasanen, Niskanen will normally be part of the national team again in the competition season.

– Iivo now wants to run the training season a little differently than before. It was decided that he will not be in national team activities during the training season, but will do his own plan.

The decision to leave the national team was made by Niskanen, confirms Pasanen.

According to Pasanen, Niskanen being sidelined from the national team’s training does not change much.

– Maybe the fact that all other men don’t have that kind of sparring partner at a few camps.

It was previously reported to the public that Eveliina Piippo would be sidelined from national team activities. Piipo’s coach Santeri Erola said to Iltalehtethat they wanted to give themselves and others peace of mind, because Piipo has had a broken background due to injuries.

– In national team activities, one would have to make so many compromises, Erola explained to IL.

Now Piippo is included, but not at the camps.

– He is involved in other support measures. He is able to use them, but he wants to practice the camps on his own, as previously announced, that is, he does not participate in the training camps, Pasanen explains.

The economy forced us to adjust our operations

Pasanen admits the Ski Association’s financial problems, at least to the extent that the national team’s camp budget has had to be reduced.

– A little bit smaller than in previous years. And from the original plan we had, camp activities have been reduced, says Pasanen.

According to Pasanen, there have been enough difficult moments during the spring, when things have not been closed and things “have been hanging in the air”. The final coaching plans were agreed upon only during Thursday and Friday morning.

– We have to do the best possible work with the resources we have. Next season there are no value competitions, so we aim to raise the basic level and develop qualities for the coming years as well, Pasanen continued and pointed especially to the youngest skiers of the national team.

For the sprinters, during the camp season, the focus is on doing competitive exercises in a group. In addition, the sprinters will participate in the roller skiing sprint races in Norway and Sweden in August, where they will face strong international opposition.

Pasanen says that the race organizers will cover the costs of these races. For sprinters, the races are important preparations for the upcoming season.

The other coaching groups in cross-country skiing are being built and more information will be provided later.

Combined and ski jumping A national teams

The Ski Association also announced the combined and ski jumping A national teams for the upcoming season.

Seven athletes have been named to the men’s combined team and four to the women’s team. Mäkihypy’s men’s national team continues the training season with five and the women’s team with two athletes.

– Our starting situation is at a better level than before from the point of view of organization, common spirit and the level of everyday activities. Our main goal is to further raise the level of everyday training and coaching. The goals of the Olympiad are ambitious. Although we have to adapt our operations somewhat due to the economic situation, we are not going to compromise on our goals, says the head of ski jumping and combined sports Mika Kojonkoski.

In combined, the goal is to get into the top three countries, and in ski jumping, the goal is to quadruple the World Cup points.

In the combined team, the main focus in the coming season will be on raising the basic level of jumping and ensuring the speed of skiing. In terms of jumping, this means goal-oriented development of sport skills, and in terms of skiing, small tweaks to what is currently being done.

The men’s ski jumping national team will start the next season with a new head coach Lauri Hakolan under. Hakola has also been the head coach of the Finnish national team in the 2018–2020 seasons. Mäkihypy’s other coaching group is being built and more information will be provided later.

The story was updated throughout at 16:18 with an interview with Teemu Pasanen.