Combined skier Ilkka Herola has risen from Siilinjärvi in Pohjois-Savo to become one of the brightest stars of Finnish elite sports. In the same small town near Kuopio, a man 12 years younger than Herola grows up Minja Korhonen15, which is already fast approaching the top of the connected world.
Despite her young age, Korhonen is the number one name of the combined women’s national team at the beginning of the season. He achieved two second places, one fourth place and one sixth place at the combined summer GP. The Women’s World Cup starts this weekend in Lillehammer, Norway.
As his role model, Korhonen names none other than Ilkka Herola from Siilinjärvi, who currently lives in Kuopio and represents the Puijo Ski Club.
– It has been a big motivational boost that from a small place like Siilinjärvi you can get all the way to the top of the world. Ilkka is originally from the same club as me. Ilkka has been a really big help in getting this far, says Korhonen with a smile.
Herola and Korhonen don’t know each other very well yet, precisely because of the big age difference. However, the combined World Cup silver medalist is happy that the traditions of the community of 21,000 inhabitants will continue in the combined team.
– Of course, it’s clear that all the hardest ones come from Siilinjärvi, so there’s nothing surprising about that. It was only a matter of time anyway, Herola laughs.
Herola has been taken as an example of naming.
– One of the biggest feelings in this job is being able to motivate or inspire another person to move, practice a sport or follow in their own footsteps into the world of top sports. That’s how you know something has been done right, says Herola.
Herola hopes that the young promise will be developed in peace, and not start training too quickly like adult athletes.
– Yes, I would call for that calmness at that point. It’s almost clear that the result will come at some point, but you shouldn’t panic. There are plenty of years ahead, and you don’t have to get everything right away, even though it seems possible already next season, Herola advises.
Talented and versatile
Head coach of the women’s national team Lasse Moilanen says that Herola’s advice “quietly, good things will come” has been used for a long time in the training of the top promise.
– In everything, you have to be aware that it is about a 15-year-old athlete. Even in the coming winter, there is no intention to go around a full calendar of competitions, but school and other things have to be taken care of. We strive to moderately and evenly develop all features. That way we will definitely get the best result, says Moilanen.
The highlights of Korhonen’s winter are the Junior World Championships at the turn of January-February in Whistler, Canada, and the Adult World Championships in February-March in Planica, Slovenia.
Korhonen says that he is very surprised that he was able to challenge older athletes in the summer GP races and grab the top spots. The winter tour features largely the same athletes, so similar performances can be enough for good rankings.
– I still don’t really understand it. You have to keep your feet on the ground and do your own good performance. Let’s hope that’s enough, says Korhonen.
At least so far, the first grader has managed to attend school with honor, even though there are more absences than his classmates.
– Certainly the upcoming season will bring its own challenges, but hopefully I can keep the whole together somehow, Korhonen reflects.
Korhonen still does athletics and gymnastics, which, according to head coach Moilanen, have been useful in the combined.
– He is really talented and versatile. Athletics has become about speed and explosiveness, which is Minja’s strength and that’s why she fits this sport really well. There is effort, elasticity and speed also on the skiing side. Her gymnastics background shows that she is really skilled. It helps especially on the hill and makes it easier to learn and practice technique, Moilanen says.
Previously, the selection of sports also included football, baseball and karate. Korhonen fell in love with hill jumping already when he was in preschool, and a couple of years later skiing was also added to the program.
Moilanen says that it has been easy to work with the cheerful and positive Korhonen.
– It is hard to believe that it is only a 15-year-old athlete, because he is mentally very mature for his age, especially in competitions. He knows what needs to be done on race day and also knows the tactical side of the skiing section.
The first Olympics in 2030 at the earliest
The women’s combined experienced a setback in the summer when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided (you switch to another service)that the sport will not be seen at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
It is the only sport of the Winter Olympics in which women have been denied participation. The IOC also hinted that men’s combined would need to boost its global popularity to retain its Olympic status beyond 2026.
The topic has been discussed in the national team, which includes Korhonen as well Giver Aries, Anna Kerko and Alva Thors.
– Of course, the Olympic Committee has its own reasons for this and we only try to understand them. I just really wish my own sport could get there. Let’s try to get the sport there with our own activities and the combined activities of all women, says Korhonen.
The IOC’s decision saddens Korho, but does not discourage him.
– I want to show the world and the IOC that we still have the substance and potential for this and that we deserve our place at the Olympics. That is certainly the biggest source of motivation, says Korhonen.
Korhonen believes that he still has a long sports career ahead of him. At the time of the 2030 Olympics, he will be only 22 years old.
– Of course, if we make it to the Olympics, not to Milan, but to the next ones, success there would be a really big goal. In any case, I want to succeed and create a good sports career.
World Cup medals are the goal in a couple of years
For the first time, the women’s combined was part of the Nordic skiing World Cup program in the previous games in 2021. Finland’s young national team was not sent to the games, but this winter, according to head coach Moilanen, the athletes are more ready for the big circles.
– It is a young sport and all the athletes are mainly quite young at the moment. It is important that every country brings its athletes to the World Championships to create competition. That as many girls or women as possible would be on the line. Little by little, the number of competitors is starting to increase, which increases the sport’s credibility, says Moilanen.
According to Moilanen, the women’s combined national team is aiming for success in the 2025 World Championships.
– The project has been aiming for the 2026 Milan Games, but in the summer we came to an unfortunate decision. However, the World Championships are a big event this winter in Planica and then in Norway in 2025. I could see that in 2025 we could be fighting for the medal position, says Moilanen.
In Moilanen’s opinion, the sport is developing in the right direction in Finland. The number of athletes practicing the sport is not large, but there are promising young people involved.
– We have a good drive and it’s great to see that the work we’ve been doing for a couple of years is bearing fruit. Let’s continue the work and look forward to seeing where the women’s team develops, says Moilanen.