Niko Anttola is the first Finnish man in 22 years who has qualified for adult cross-country skiing as a junior.
- Niko Anttola broke into adult competitions at an exceptionally young age. Only four Finnish men have been able to do the same in the last 50 years.
- Under Immo Kuutsa, the junior situation was alarming.
- Sami Jauhojärvi tells what you can expect from Anttola in Planica.
Recent junior world champion Niko Anttola20, joins the rare group at the World Championships in Planica.
Anttola is only the third Finnish male skier under the age of 22, i.e. junior, who has made it to the prestigious adult competitions in the 21st century. They have reached the achievement before Sami Jauhojärvi and Jussi Ylimäki.
Throughout history, only 16 Finnish men have skied in the prestigious adult competitions under the age of 22 – in the last 50 years, this has happened four times.
Anttola turned 20 on February 13.
– Even Iivo Niskanen didn’t make it to the competition at such a young age. However, in our athletes’ opinion, he should have been included in the World Cup team in 2013, i.e. at the age of 21, says Jauhojärvi, who made his debut in the sprint at the Lahti World Cup in 2001.
Niko Anttola made his debut at the men’s World Championships. PASI LEISMA
In the 1950s and 1960s, people under the age of 20 were not allowed to participate in prestigious cross-country skiing competitions. When permission came, only Finnish men under the age of 22 got into the limelight Risto Kiiskinen (1976) and Kari Härkönen (1980).
Coached the Finnish national team in 1972–1985 Immo Kuutsa remember the harsh realities.
– When I became the head coach, the youngest athlete in the national team was 26 years old. I was alarmed and said that nothing will come of it.
The problem was money. The young skiers did not receive financial support from the state and began to wonder whether instead of skiing, they should focus on studying or work that brings bread to the table.
– We started to think about the point of elite sports. Many did not continue their careers when they did not receive support.
– Our system has always been bad for young people. The young people even have to pay the coach’s fees themselves, even though the Ski Federation should take care of them.
Only the specially gifted
Nowadays, the main goal of the season for young skiers is often the World Championships in their age group.
In the world, there are few people who are successful at the adult level around their twenties.
– A 20-year-old is often behind compared to a 25-year-old. Hard training often starts from the age of 20 onwards. Only the specially talented and already successful get to the prestigious competitions at an early stage, Iltalehti’s expert and ex-head coach of Finland Reijo Jylhä tells.
– An endurance athlete is at his best from the age of 25 onwards. It takes practice lessons and two to three years of work to be able to develop your capacity to the level that you can do internationally, Jauhojärvi says.
Sami Jauhojärvi made his debut in the adult competition in 2001. Picture from the world cup of the same season. EPA/AOP
According to Jylhä, due to their earlier physical development, it is easier for women to break into adult competitions at a young age than men.
Career is also affected by conscription. The development curve, which pointed sharply upwards, evens out if the skier joins the army.
– I have not yet seen many young athletes whose careers were positively influenced by the army. It may take three years to get back to the development path that would have existed without the army, Jauhojärvi explains.
Not immortal
In the 1970s, Immo Kuutsa was shocked by Finland’s lack of juniors. Pasi Liesimaa
In January–February, Anttola won the freestyle world championship in Whistler, Canada, and silver in the traditional 20 km World Championship.
The previously mentioned Iivo Niskanen celebrated the under-23 World Championship gold in 15 kilometers in 2014. That same winter, he made his debut in the adult competition at the Sochi Olympics and won gold in the pair relay with Jauhojärvi.
– We have quite a few youth world champions, especially from normal tours. Those who have won championships on normal trips have been near the podium or on the podium in the World Cup, says Jauhojärvi.
– Getting to that level has required a certain potential.
Anttola skied the first World Cup of her career in November in Kuusamo. PASI LEISMA
Anttola will ski in the World Championships on Wednesday, March 1, when it’s 15 kilometers free. Jauhojärvi doesn’t look at the ranking of the super promise, but the time difference at the top.
– If Anttola is a minute and a half or a little less than the leader, the race is very successful.
The Olympic champion believes in Anttola’s potential. He advises the young pledge to keep ice in his hat.
– Often after a successful year, you may think that you are immortal. Failures happen to everyone, even the top ones. You have to be kind and able to work.
The men’s 15 km free race will be skied on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.
Reijo Jylhä is Iltalehti’s expert. Jussi Saarinen