Niko Kytösaho achieved the best Finnish ranking in 16 years at the lentomäki World Championships. Janne Ahonen believes that we will continue to see top successes from him.
Finnish ski jumper Niko Kytösaho was in top form at the lentomäki World Championships in Kulm, Austria. The 24-year-old Finn, who was seventh after the opening day, remained in the same place on the last day as well.
Due to the windy conditions, the race was shortened to three laps instead of four. Kytösaho didn’t have the best wind gap during his last jump, but he was still able to make a nice 215-meter slice in those conditions.
The home crowd’s favorite celebrated the world championship Stefan Kraft. Silver went to Germany For Andreas Wellinger and bronze Slovenia To Timi Zajci.
For the Finns, this is a real top position, because the last time the Finns did better in the lentomäki World Championships was in 2008. At that time, the total contribution was huge, because Janne Ahonen was the third Janne Happonen Fifth and Harri Olli sixth.
Respect brought relaxation
Today, mountain legend Ahonen, who acts as an expert for Urheilu, reminds us of Kytösaho’s steady performances during the weekend. On Friday, he made the longest jump of the whole day, 232.5 meters.
Kytösaho’s early season has been difficult as a whole, like other Finns. Ahonen points out the special feature of ski jumping.
In Lentomäki, it’s as if “we respect the hill more”, which is why you keep your composure better.
– Niko has been in a hurry to fly, and he hasn’t been able to push properly with the bow. However, skydiving is still a rare treat. It respects the size, speed and strength of the hill.
– You don’t go out trying and being enthusiastic like that. Everything comes more easily from the spine, says Ahonen.
The junior promise is not spoiled by age
Kytösaho is remembered as a junior promise, who was already whispered about when he was only 14 years old. The Finnish jumper is still not spoiled by age, as he is 24 years old.
Ahonen believes that the composure and relaxation found on the lentomäki will also be visible in regular hill races from the end of the season. On Sunday, there will be a team competition in Kulm, from which Kytösaho can draw more successes.
– I think that when we come back to the normal hills, we have found the aha experience. He will be able to stay calm in the future, says Ahonen.
Ahonen does not consider Kytösaho to be an actual flying hill specialist. He reminds that, for example Eetu Nousiainen excelled a few years ago in the Obertsdorf flying hill race, finishing eighth.
Now he didn’t make the top 30.
– Sometimes that aha experience can be found when there is a different atmosphere, Ahonen adds.
The success of Kytösaho is an important positive spark, especially for the entire Finnish men’s ski jumping. For many years now, successes have been few and far between, especially in prestigious competitions.
– Ranking in the top ten is hard currency. You have to do the right things and a lot of things depend on luck. Now only one such has been received, but we hope that the same rate will continue in the future.
Correction at 19:41: Kytöaho’s ranking was the best Finnish performance in the lentomäki World Championships in 16 years. Originally studied at Ingress until the age of 14.