Petter Kukkonen will continue as Finnish head coach

Petter Kukkonen, who has been the head coach of the Nordic Combined team since 2012, will continue as the head coach of the national team. The coaching team is complemented by jumping coach Falko Krismayr and physiotherapist and coach Jari Hiekkavirta. Janne Ahonen will continue as the team's equipment technician and Pekka Kemppi will be the service manager.

Petter Kukkonen, who has worked long-term in the Finnish national team, will continue as the team's head coach with a 2 + 1 year contract. Lauri Kettunen, the chairman of the Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined management team, calls for consistency and perseverance in the choice made.

“In top sports, there are no easy shortcuts to success, but instead a path that requires long-term and committed work. Commitment to demanding training has been high all the time during Petter’s tenure. Although the Nordic Combined competitiveness was discussed last season, and the success depended mainly on Ilkka Herola's performance, we act in the long-term, avoiding hasty conclusions, Kettunen says.

During his term as head coach, Kukkonen has raised athletes to the top competitions. Last season, the development curve saw a small setback but the head coach is heading towards the future with motivation and a positive mind.

“A lot has been analysed during the last season, and now the future is planned with experts and coaches. The goal is to get back on path of development and success that we were on. For 6-7 years, it went upwards all the time, it is normal in a growth curve that at some point there will be setbacks. You have to react sensibly and do the right things to get back on the path to success”, says Kukkonen.

The  Nordic Combined team already underwent major changes during the season and the Austrian Falko Krismayr joined the team's coaching staff and will continue to serve as the team's jumping  coach. According to Kukkonen, changes will be made to the training.

“The coming years are really important for our sport group and team. We want to succeed, that is clear. We want to make it through every World Cup weekend, we want to win value medals and we want to win Olympic medals. That is what these changes, already made in the winter, are aimed at. These goals determine our daily work”, says Kukkonen.

“I am excited to do this work, we have great athletes and I see a lot of development potential. We also have a great background team. I see no reason why the goals that have been set could not be achieved, Kukkonen decides.

Ismo Hämäläinen, Executive Director of the Ski Association, is the local team coaches' supervisor and work supervisor. Coaches for other teams will be appointed following NOV decisions in early summer.