I ski the world cup starts in Kuusamo’s Ruka in a chaotic situation, when the fluoride cream ban in force at international competitions can turn the competitions into a complete circus in the worst case.
The athlete’s legal protection is threatened when test equipment can give false results. This, in turn, brings a factor of uncertainty into the everyday life of skiers, with which the great promise of Finnish skiing Niko Anttola does not strain his head.
“Of course, there are some of these, but I haven’t been stressed about it,” says Anttola.
“I’ve just tried to focus on being in as good shape as possible. Then things won’t work out.”
Anttola will compete in Ruka on Saturday in the traditional 10 km and on Sunday in the free 20 km.
“I’m very happy going into the season. The goal is that I would be able to raise my own basic level closer to the top. If you could take a small step like that from last season, that would be good,” he says.
“
“It was a good camp from the defense forces.”
20 years old top talent prepared for the season at the Kainuu brigade’s sports school. Anttola started his military service in the spring and was discharged at the end of September.
“Yes, it was different from what I was used to, but it went well. It was well managed,” says the skier.
Due to its financial problems, the Ski Federation had to reduce the activities of the national team, for example by reducing camp days, so Anttola joined the army.
“Well, yeah, the economic situation hasn’t affected me either. It was a good camp from the defense forces, and I have not experienced that [Hiihtoliiton talous] wouldn’t have bothered me in any way”, says Anttola.
“The training days came quite briskly and in sufficient numbers.”
There was enough to do anyway in the third jaeger company, where Anttola completed his conscript service.
“
“Our group was not given those fitness holidays.”
Niko Anttola is one of the biggest future promises of Finnish skiing.
Physically in terms of fitness and shooting skills, Anttola proved to be an excellent soldier. He smashed a commendable mark in Cooper’s test and hit all 12 of his shots on target in the marksmanship test.
“Cooper must have been a little short of 3,900 meters. It went very well”, he repeats.
An ordinary conscript would have taken a fitness leave with running shoes on his feet or an assault rifle in his hand. The situation of absolute Finnish peaks in snow sports is different.
“Our group was not given those fitness holidays. There was so much sports work anyway,” reveals Anttola.
He received his matriculation certificate last spring from Sotkamo sports high school while he was already in the army. The home of the skier who thrives in the dangerous landscapes of Kainu is still in Vuokatti.
“It is quite optimal and a good place. There is everything a skier needs.”
In Vuokatti Anttola also achieved his first World Cup medal, the under-20 relay silver, in February 2021. In the following two years, he won three individual World Cup medals.
The brightest crown came in January in Whistler, Canada, where Anttola skied as the world champion in his age group in the free 10s. The joint start of the traditional 20 kilometers resulted in silver.
In March, Anttola rose to the public’s awareness of the deep ranks by anchoring Finland to the 4 x 10 kilometer World Championship relay silver in Planica. Finland received its previous men’s relay medal in 2009.
“We are right on schedule. Yes, from last season and all the time, you can see where it’s going”, Anttola says about her journey towards future goals.
At what point do you aim for the absolute top of the world, if the development continues in the same way?
“It’s really difficult to assess that. You never know where the world will go and how it will develop,” Anttola answers.
Iivo Niskanen (left), Perttu Hyvärinen and Ristomatti Hakola (right) lifted Niko Anttola to the golden chair after the anchor leg of the World Cup Relay. Anttola brought Finland to the finish line in second place.
Anttola says that the focus of his training was on keeping track of the summer time.
“There has been a slight emphasis on it, that it could be taken forward a little”, his father Marko Anttolan the most experienced skier says.
“It continues partially even now with snow. Of course, the Games are coming up, and you can’t emphasize it so strongly, but yes, it’s still on your mind.”
The skiers of the general series sloshed around this winter without qualifying competitions. Anttola, on the other hand, can now qualify for the Junior World Ski Championships in the under-23 age group. The competitions will be held in February in Planica.
“It’s also a big event, but maybe the Junior World Championships are not as strongly in mind now as they were last year. The main goal this winter is just to be able to raise your own basic level,” he says.
“After all, they are tough races and there will be a lot of tough skiers, but maybe the races in my twenties were more important to me.”
In the World Cup Anttola has so far only competed in Finland and Sweden. Now there will probably be more competitions than before, but the super promise doesn’t know its schedule yet.
“I haven’t thought about it like that. However, there are many guys who want to ski the World Cup, and first you have to see what the speed is enough for,” he says.
Anttola, who cleared his way to adult competitions at an exceptionally young age, wants to continue to participate in competitions. Mere participation is not enough, but the young person also intends to succeed.
The next general series World Cup skiing will be held in Norway in the spring of 2025.
“Since I was in high school, the Trondheim Games have been a certain kind of goal, to participate there. Maybe not so much that you should be at the top there,” says Anttola.
“Yes, that development takes its own time. Let’s see what that world looks like then.”
#Skiing #Niko #Anttola #reveals #hard #Cooper #result #explains #didnt #fitness #leave #army
