Antti Tuisku's Plans Take a Major Turn with High Goals – "I’ve Dug This Hole for Myself"

Antti Tuisku, whose training has gone exceptionally well, will be seen on the competition tracks at the Imatra SM Championships.

Tuisku announced in February that he would become a professional skier and plans to participate in the 2025 SM Championships this spring. He has also established his ski team, AT Ski Team, which will make its historic debut in a competition at the Finnish Cup in Vuokatti this Sunday.

AT Ski Team will compete in Vuokatti's women's 3 x 6 kilometer relay with team members Emmi Lämsä, Eveliina Toivanen, and Vilma Jylhä, along with Emmi Henriksson and Olivia Puranen.

Tuisku is excited about his team's first race. "I don't know who is more nervous, but I have felt some nerves myself. It has been wonderful to come here to Vuokatti and experience this for the first time as AT Ski Team hits the tracks. I feel proud and emotional as everything we've been planning and working on for a long time becomes real," he shared in an interview.

Before the team's first competition, Tuisku has set high goals. "I dare say that this team certainly has a chance to compete for a spot among the top six. This goal is very realistic. My role is not to put pressure on the athletes but to support them."

While Tuisku will not be competing in Vuokatti, he plans to race in the SM Championships in January. Initially, his plan was to participate in the Championships in the spring, but his mindset has changed due to successful training.

The 2025 SM Championships will take place in three parts in Imatra, Vantaa, and Taivalkoski. The Imatra event is scheduled for January 10-12, Vantaa in February on the 8-9, and Taivalkoski in April on the 2-4.

Tuisku has been training hard and feels he has made significant progress. "I have thought about it as I have dug this hole for myself, that I will also go skiing in the traditional 10-kilometer race at the SM in Imatra. In the first week of April at Taivalkoski, I will ski freely as if it were my main event."

"Let’s dig deep now. Of course, I’m nervous since the Imatra SM Championships will be here before we know it," Tuisku joked.

He has voiced his ambitious goal as he sees the development he has made. "Given the progress I have witnessed, I dare to cautiously set a goal of matching the speed of Finland's top female skiers within this half year. This would mean a lot to me. I never thought I would say something like this aloud last spring."

According to Vilma Jylhä, Tuisku has kept up well with others in AT Ski Team's training. "Antti has kept pace well and has sometimes even outpaced us," Jylhä remarked on Tuisku's current form.