Tommi Nikunenem “The dominance of the Norwegians surprises me”.
Tommi Nikunen Mon 30 years old and is the youngest among the coaches of significant teams in the World Cup. Since last season, he has been training the Finnish national team in ski jumping.
Nikunen, next to the coach of the Norwegians Mika Kojonkoski, he has the most success with his players. Three jumpers from Finland are currently in the top ten of the World Cup standings.
Janne Ahonen is the leader this year, having 204 points ahead of Norway's Sigurd Pettersen. Matti Hautamaeki is there 7., a Veli-Matti Lindstroem na 10. Ahonen, Hautamaeki and Tami Kiuru have already won the World Cup this winter.
Can Tommi Nikunen be satisfied with the course of this year's season??
Tommi Nikunen: “I don't know, can you ever be completely satisfied, but if you compare this year's results with those of last season, this is much better for us than last year. Ski jumping is such a discipline, in which the player experiences ups and downs during the season. So I am satisfied, that five jumpers from our team are good.
Last year we had Janne Ahonen in great shape and he won the 4-Hills-Tournament. If Janne wasn't in the lead, it was no Finn. I am satisfied, because we have achieved it, that more players from our team have stabilized their position at the forefront”.
Janne Ahonen was the top favourite 52. Four Hills Tournament. Where is the cause of this, that he was ranked fifth?
Tommi Nikunen: “Sigurd Pettersen was in unbelievable form during the tournament and it would have been difficult for Janne to win, even if he jumped to the best of his abilities in Oberstdorf. He could only be second, Sigurd Pettersen was just too strong”.
The current leader of the World Cup, Janne Ahonen, has been at the forefront for many years, but has never won a Crystal Ball.
He was the second time, twice third in the final standings. This year it looks like this, I think he'll make it the first time. What would it mean for Janne Ahonen to win this classification??
Tommi Nikunen: “IF, and I have to mark it, that at this point in the season it's a big if, he managed to win the World Cup, it would be a huge deal for him. That's been his goal for five or six years, even though he was very close, however, he has never succeeded.
Compared to last season, when his crisis actually started in Liberec, I felt relieved, that a few weeks later it's still fine. The trip to Japan was really very successful. Janne has already achieved a lot, he just needs that title. I don't know, what is it like for other guys, but Janne is the most horny for this cup”.
How the Finns and coach Nikunen treat the World Cup? How high do you rate its value in relation to the world championships or the Olympics?
Tommi Nikunen: “I think, that this title does not meet with any special recognition among the Finnish population, because the World Cup and the Olympic Games have much more value. Personally, I value this title very highly, because you have to be good all season long, not only during individual competitions”.
Finland is currently second in the Nations Cup with 271 starting points to the leading Norwegians.
How important this classification is for Tommi Nikunen?
Tommi Nikunen: “I'm sure, that every coach has this classification in mind, me too. One of our goals this season was to win the Nations Cup. It will be hard to achieve, because in every competition you have to be at the forefront. We had a really bad competition in Oberstdorf, where we got only 57 points, and the Norwegians 193. Only these competitions cost us a lot. Four teams have always competed for this title, Germany has now fallen. As I said, It's a tough competition and I hope so, that we'll be counting on it until the season finale”.
Surprised, that the Norwegians are currently leading?
Tommi Nikunen: “So, this is somewhat of a surprise.
This is a giant advertisement for ski jumping. Contestants, trainers, carers and the atmosphere across the country, it's great to be a ski jumper in Norway at the moment. If we take that into account, it's not a big surprise, that the Norwegians are in the lead”.
This season there has been a heated discussion about the scores received from the judges. This was especially true of Janne Ahonen's jumps at the 4-Hills-Tournament in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. What does the trainer think about such discussions?
Tommi Nikunen: “This is a serious problem. In principle, there is always a topic in such a discussion, whether style marks are needed in ski jumping at all. I'm actually of the opinion, that they are needed, because they simply belong to the sport. But this season there was already a situation in the Continental Cup, that six competitors received marks for their jumps 20 points. Janne Ahonen got for his jump with the exact telemark accordingly 17,5 point. For me it means unequivocally, that the judges are not very familiar with these rules.
Something like this just shouldn't exist. We don't need such judges. The players are professionals, and the evaluators thwart their efforts. Style points are decisive
for top places”.
What is the goal for the Skiflying World Championships in Planica?
Tommi Nikunen: “We don't have any set purpose by the union. But of course the medal is our priority.
And naturally, each player has a personal goal. To win a medal, you have to be in really good physical shape, lubricants and equipment must be optimal, and it always takes a bit of luck. When we look at the season so far, we'll see, that about 15 players could win a medal. So it may be so, that we won't even get one.
We can do it, but we can also come back empty-handed”.
What Tommi Nikunen thinks about the skydiver's weight issue and the discussions about starvation in Frank Löffler's case? Is that true, Has this topic been blown up by the media??
Tommi Nikunen: “Even very inflated. This is it, what I thought at that moment. As for the Finnish team, we don't check the weight at all. I'm not worried about it, that guys eat too little or too much” says Nikunen, laughing.
As for Frank Löffler, I don't know him personally.
To, What did he say, it didn't impress me at all and I find it funny”.
Juha-Matti Ruskanen joined the team in Liberec and has been jumping very well ever since, he even finished sixth in Hakuba. Is this a surprise for you?
Tommi Nikunen: “So, it was a suprise. But honestly, his performance was better than jumping. He had a lot of luck in his trials. But Juha-Matti has talent without a doubt, to be among the best. He still has a lot of work to do on his technique. The next step will be decisive. If he succeeds, will soon be among the best”.
What about Risto Jussilainen?
Tommi Nikunen: “I haven't had any contact with him lately, because I'm still on the road. To, what I heard, was really painful. He had trouble rebounding. I think, that the end of this season will be a defining moment in his career. I mean it, Will he keep jumping?, or not. I don't want to speak, that he's too old, but he knows himself very well, and if it continues like this, so far, makes no sense to him, to compete in international competitions”.