Expert praises the importance of Antti Tuisku's example for public health – still disappointed with competition performance

Expert praises the importance of Antti Tuisku's example for public health – still disappointed with competition performance

Antti Tuisku made headlines when he competed for the first time in the Finnish Championships in Imatra on Saturday. The ex-pop star finished 142nd in the men's classical 10 km time trial, leaving nine men behind. He was about eight and a half minutes behind the winner, Ristomatti Hakola.

According to Yle's skiing expert Kalle Lassila, Tuisku's performance was as expected for someone dedicating a year solely to skiing. However, he believes Tuisku did not fully utilize his improved skiing technique in the competition.

"I would have expected a bit more from him. With good technique, seconds and even minutes can easily be knocked off," Lassila said.

Despite fully committing to skiing for a year, Tuisku inevitably found himself at the bottom of the results list. This reflects the level of competition at the Finnish Championships and the effort competitors behind the very top level put into their performances.

"While it may sometimes seem easy to just jump in and show others what you can do, it's not that straightforward in reality," Lassila noted.

He reminded that Tuisku has very little competition experience. One learns to ski competitively by participating in competitions.

"I believe that if he gets more races under his belt, he can significantly improve his performance during this winter," Lassila added.

The culmination of Tuisku's skiing project is set for April at the SM Championships in Taivalkoski’s 10 km freestyle event.

The Power of Example

On Saturday, many spectators were present on the course in Imatra, inspired to attend their first skiing competition because of Antti Tuisku. Lassila hopes that Tuisku's example will encourage others to try their hand at skiing events.

While many Finns ski every winter, Lassila noted that the threshold for participating in competitions has historically been "far too high" for children, youth, and recreational athletes.

"I hope that this lowers the threshold so that people of all age groups and from various backgrounds feel more courageous in participating in different events," Lassila said.

Tuisku's performance may also inspire those outside the skiing circles. Nowadays, people generally move too little. The effects of inactivity on public health are clear, but discussions about the situation are often negative or forced.

"Hopefully, Tuisku's example sends the message that movement is not just an obligation; it can truly bring a lot of content and positive benefits to one's daily life."

Article adapted at 11.1. at 20:08: Tuisku left nine men behind in the competition, not eight, as previously mentioned.