Nonfiction writer Kai Ekholm has focused on Matti Nykänen’s step-by-step life.
Matti Nykänen died in 2019. JOHN PALMEN
– Matti sparkled, showed and sold. In the society’s delivery, a bottle of sparkling wine was raised in honor of the new issue’s sales record.
This is how a non-fiction writer describes it Kai Ekholm Matti Nykänen and the Society’s shared life in his recent work A boy chained to the clouds.
Nykänen’s credit editor was in the company Isto Lysmä, a late legend in the industry. According to the book, he recalled that he had made “fifty cover stories about Nykä in the golden age, i.e. in the years 1988–90”.
When the relationship with Lysmä broke off in the early 1990s, Nykänen ended up collaborating with the 7 days magazine. 7 days, or the current Seiska, was founded in 1992.
– Seiska wanted to return Mati, who had drifted onto the siding, to a hill jumper. The magazine paid for him a training camp in Germany and other trips, Ekholm writes.
– In addition, Mat had the newspaper’s rental car at his disposal, and it paid his hotel bills. When Mati had problems with alcohol, 7 days put him in nitrous oxide treatment.
Seiska operates as editor-in-chief Rampe Toivonen.
– All in all, the value of the contract was more than one hundred thousand FIM, i.e. the average annual income of a Finn, Toivonen comments according to the book.
– The number of Mati’s cover stories during that time was absolutely insane, dozens within a couple of years. They were very well-sold numbers, so Seiska was not on the paying side in any way.
According to the monetary value converter of the Bank of Finland, one hundred thousand marks in 1992 is equivalent to approximately 28,500 euros today.
“You knew how to surf”
Nykänen also collaborated with Se! and Hymy magazines.
– Matti always knew the spirit of the game and knew how to surf between the pages. The friendship of a wolf and a lamb prevailed between Lehitali and Mati. Both crossed the river in the same boat until the final difference became clear, Ekholm explains.
– It was too late for Mati. Publicity is a hard drug. Its contributions and withdrawal symptoms were devastating in Mati’s case.
Kai Ekholm’s work Matti Nykänen – A boy chained to clouds (Docendo) will be published on October 5.