Olympic Games This new species works best for a light person with a spooky oxygen uptake capacity – Iivo Niskanen has one of the top features of the species

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Characteristics: Skis with hair covered on the sole. Hand sticks, from the helmet. On the back is a backpack that bursts with a variety of equipment, such as ice irons, loggers and harnesses.

Tarpoo the slopes of the ski resort with skis up. Sometimes it drops down, and then starts climbing again.

Collect puzzled glances from other counters. Pant. Seems to be completely punctured, but continues nonetheless.

Pat on the back. You have found a 32-year-old Finnish Pioneer in downhill skiing Joonas Kortelaisen.

Mountain skiing is a sport that is very popular in Central Europe and will also be featured as a new show at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

In downhill skiing – or cross-country alpinism, as the sport’s other name implies – mountain slopes are climbed up, downhill and sometimes even climbed without skis. The “rising hairs” that increase the grip on the bottom of the skis are removed and fastened between the different sections.

Downhill skiing is a kind of combination of cross-country and alpine skiing, with alternating uphill and downhill. When you start practicing this kind of nutty species, you inevitably run into confused eyes.

“A large proportion of people have never seen someone go uphill,” Kortelainen laughs.

“People are amused that once you get in the elevator, why climb yourself.”

For the second time in his career, Kortelainen finished second in the French Cup, won the Swedish championship on the Kebnekaise mountain and also collected individual wins from a few competitions in the Alps. He ended his racing career in 2018.

Competing in addition, the charm of downhill skiing comes from moving around in nature. When an athlete sees a little effort as they climb uphill, they get to see slopes they would never normally collide with.

According to Kortelainen, lowering is also more rewarding when you have first stepped up on your own. The comfort of the ski lifts does not attract him.

“To some extent, it’s a return to the roots, if you think about where moving around in the mountains has come from in its time. There were no slopes or trails to drive before. That’s when you skied up yourself, ”says Kortelainen.

Downhill skiing is most popular in Alpine countries such as France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria. There is also species expertise in Germany, Spain and North America.

In the Nordic comparison, Finland lags behind Sweden and Norway. The situation is dire. The framework for training and racing is not twofold, as even the highest fells in Finland are too low.

“In international competitions, the difference in altitude between the longest climbs is 600 meters. It is two of the above on top of each other. You should be able to train regularly in such terrain, ”Kortelainen knows.

Lajin Operations in Finland are small throughout, and mountain skiing does not even have its own sports association so far. No competition has been held in Finland this winter.

Some Finns have occasionally competed abroad, but at the moment there are no athletes in Finland who would mainly invest in mountain skiing.

According to Kortelainen, one way to success would be for one of the top Finnish endurance sports athletes to get excited about taking downhill skiing as their bread.

For example, a former national team skier Susanna Saapunki has tried the sport in a test sense after moving from cross – country to cross – country running two years ago.

It is basically a kind of endurance. About Finland’s top skiers Iivo Niskanen would be top notch in mountain skiing for his oxygen uptake, in addition to which his downhill skiing is second to none.

In the so-called vertical competitions in downhill skiing, he could do well even if the whole trip was a mere ascent.

Fresh an Olympic gold medalist could still run into surprising problems with the sport.

“Mountain skiers are often quite lightweight. Uphill times are spent for such long times that power properties play a relatively smaller role. If you are a very muscular athlete, the consumption is quite high, ”says Kortelainen.

“Some call the top mountain skiers get rid of. They are lightweight and slender. ”

Skiing skills are also good to master.

“In a competitive situation, the differences uphill are surprisingly small. In downhill, a skilled and courageous skier is able to make a big neck, ”says Kortelainen.

Tactical play is an essential part of downhill skiing, as the strengths of all competitors are different. It is important to know where to play your cards.

In addition, competitors must be able to read the terrain. On the descent sections, the route choices are made by yourself, and thus the environment must be able to be interpreted continuously, while the technology must be maintained.

“The landing lines are marked, but there is no exact track on the route to be landed. Must be able to read the terrain and take advantage of it. Two similar declines will not be seen in the race. The willingness and ability to take risks also play a big role, ”says Kortelainen.

Mountain skiing is generally considered to be a more endangered species than it actually is. However, a moment of danger always exists when moving in areas where avalanches occur. The conditions of each competition are therefore carefully examined in advance.

“The species moves in a natural environment that is in no way controlled by humans. If you don’t know where you’re going or what you’re doing, you shouldn’t be there. Then there is a big risk that things will go wrong, ”Kortelainen reminds.

Mandatory equipment for mountaineers includes, for example, an avalanche pipe, a probe and a shovel, with which a competitor can be tracked and dug out of the snow in an emergency.

Competitors also have a duty to assist. If something happens to someone, you have to stop your own performance and go help.