Verneri Suhonen Looks Forward to the New Season Ahead of Finnish Cup

Yle showcases the competitions of the Finnish Cup opening weekend on TV2, the Yle Arena, and the Yle app.

The ski season gets underway this weekend as the Finnish Cup is held in Vuokatti. The races will determine rankings with free style sprints on Saturday and relays on Sunday.

Although the season is just beginning, the sprint race on Saturday is already a key opportunity for many athletes to prove themselves.

In Finland, there will be no free sprints held before the World Cup weekends in December in Lillehammer, Norway, and Davos, Switzerland.

Yle Sports' skiing expert Jussi Piirainen noted that the top performers in Vuokatti will be selected for these World Cups.

"Certainly those skiers who did not do well last season in the sprints face even more pressure to show their potential, as their results from last season will impact these first selections for the World Cups," Piirainen said.

Among the women, Piirainen highlights Anni Alakoski, who struggled with health issues last season.

"She needs to succeed to get more involved in the World Cups."

From the men's side, Verneri Suhonen, previously one of Finland's best free sprinters, is also under pressure to perform. Olli Ahonen must also show strong results.

Verneri Suhonen at a pivotal moment

Suhonen's sprint performances last season were disappointing at the World Cup level, with his best ranking being 20th in the free sprint in Lahti. He acknowledges the importance of Saturday's competition.

"Many skiers put everything on the line for this race. It's a good overall practice, and the conditions look promising. It's definitely a big race coming up this Saturday," Suhonen says.

Excited for the season ahead, Suhonen reveals he faced motivation issues over the summer.

"I trained well and did all the basics right, but I just didn't feel enthusiastic about it. I have found that motivation again throughout this autumn."

The 27-year-old sees the upcoming season as a turning point. The lack of motivation stemmed from a feeling that he has seen everything at the level he competes in, without achieving a breakthrough to the world top.

"After this season, we will be wiser about whether any significant steps will be taken or what our future holds. It will be an interesting season; we will try to enjoy every day. If the goal is fulfilled by spring, it would mean we've achieved quite a lot."

Suhonen names his main goal for the season as the free sprint at the World Championships in Trondheim.

"Honestly, I don't care when that success comes during the season, as long as it happens."

Hilla Niemelä also targets success in Vuokatti

This season, Hilla Niemelä, who moved up to the A national team, seeks success, aiming for the Trondheim World Championships sprint like Suhonen.

In Vuokatti, Niemelä hopes to reach the finals to gain four strong starts.

"I noticed last season that my sprint performance improves when I get to ski in the finals. You can only learn how to ski in finals by being in them," Niemelä says.

Are we going to see fluorine tests?

Jussi Piirainen looks forward to seeing who will show good competition form and development in the first races. Sunday’s relays will give a glimpse into the power dynamics of the teams.

For instance, the Ounasvaara Ski Club has brought in strong names along with Verneri Suhonen, including Lauri Vuorinen.

In the women’s series, we will see Antti Tuisku's AT Ski Team, represented by Emmi Lämsä and Vilma Jylhä.

It's too early to draw firm conclusions about the athletes' situations, as some top athletes skip Vuokatti, and the training season is still ongoing. There are four weeks left to the opening World Cup weekend in Ruka.

"Many still have their toughest training loads ongoing, but we can see hints of who has improved during the training season and what the current state of readiness is," Piirainen says.

The Vuokatti Finnish Cup is the first national competition in which a fluoro wax ban is in effect. Fluorine testing will take place in a closed area near the start and finish before and after the competition.

"This creates a bit of excitement for the support teams. There’s some new stuff for ski technicians behind the scenes, but it won’t be anything special during the competition," Piirainen says.