His beard is sacred to Juha Mieto.
But he has actually shaved it off once – for millions.
– It was uncomfortable, says Mieto.
Juha Mieto is without a doubt one of Finland’s foremost cross-country skiers of all time. He became hugely popular in his home country during his active career, and is still a real icon.
Shaved his beard
Mieto’s heyday was during the 70s and 80s and was one of the Swede Thomas Wassberg’s biggest challengers. He was really dominant under the Finnish flag and has several Olympic medals on his merit list, one of which is gold.
He was not only the foremost. Also the largest. The Finn is two meters tall and has an incredible shoe size 51 (!). And with his stately beard, which really personified him, he was a real bastard.
Juha Mieto loved his beard, and cared for it with his life. And the fact is that he has not shaved it since 1985, but then for a charitable purpose.
– But it was unpleasant, he himself comments to Expressen.
Never do it again
The ski icon tells the evening newspaper that he collected money for Finnish skiing with the goal of raising one million marks (the Finnish currency before the euro). At first, the collection did not go any further, then someone suggested that Juha Mieto shave his beard if they manage to collect one million marks.
– Then the collection gained momentum, the profile says.
But shaving his beard again – that’s something Juha Mieto will never do again.
– No. It got so cold around the chin, he says.
READ MORE: Juha Mieto was beaten by Thomas Wassberg and disappeared – this is how the Finnish ski legend lives today