"The Atmosphere Felt Like It Was Eating Her Alive" – Krista Pärmäkoski Discusses Team Spirit Among Female Skiers in Her New Book

Krista Pärmäkoski’s biography uncovers that the women's national ski team managed to succeed despite a poor working atmosphere during her time. Even her relationship with Kerttu Niskanen remains distant.

Krista reminisced about her experiences during a training camp in northern Italy, where she noticed that the other national team members did not appreciate her presence, contributing to a feeling of exclusion. In her recently published biography Avoin (Open) by YLE Sports reporter Laura Arffman, she recalls feeling unwelcome, especially during shared meals where it seemed others wanted her to be somewhere else. This perception intensified after she had announced she wouldn’t accept a main team position for the training season, preferring to train independently, primarily due to dissatisfaction with the treatment of her coach, Matti Haavisto, who was removed after only one season.

The dynamics within the team led to Pärmäkoski feeling alienated as her withdrawal was seen as a vote of no confidence by her teammates. The atmosphere was so charged that when the coaching staff invited her to participate in crucial training, the rest of the women’s team firmly opposed her involvement.

The ongoing issues regarding the women’s national ski team have been widely discussed in Finland, particularly due to their high profile and success. Aino-Kaisa Saarinen previously raised similar concerns in her biography Tahto, which highlighted the team’s sometimes complicated interpersonal relationships, just before a home World Championship season. Pärmäkoski’s account echoes these sentiments, revealing that her career has unfolded in a notably odd and challenging team environment.

In her book, former long-time coach Reijo Jylhä emphasizes the challenges faced, noting that navigation through team dynamics is critical and often unresolved once discussions are initiated. The process continues indefinitely, causing ongoing tension.

Pärmäkoski’s past strong friendship with Kerttu Niskanen has also evolved into a distant connection over the years, largely due to the competitive structure within the team.

Disputes over athlete selections for personal travels and relay races have contributed to tensions, which Jylhä acknowledged as a significant error during his coaching tenure, recalling the closed voting process to select the women’s relay team during the 2015 World Championships in Falun, which had negative side effects on team morale.

Pärmäkoski reflects on her experiences starting from the 2011 Oslo World Championships when she achieved silver and bronze medals at just 20 years old, recalling how Saarinen preferred to ski alongside her long-time teammate Pirjo Muranen instead of with her, marking a pivotal moment in Pärmäkoski's early career.

Despite the difficulties, Pärmäkoski maintains that she has found friends within the team, highlighting former skiers Riitta-Liisa Roponen, Riikka Sarasoja-Lilja, and the late Mona-Liisa Nousiainen as cherished companions from her skiing circle.

This article was updated by Laura Arffman, who also authored the book.