Finnish Ski Association aims to hire a foreign head coach for cross-country – eyes on Norway

Finland’s Ski Association is preparing major staff changes at the end of the Olympic cycle, with the most significant overhaul coming in cross-country skiing. Head coach Teemu Pasanen and women’s lead coach Reijo Jylhä have both announced they will step down in the spring, prompting a search for new leadership.

High-performance director Petter Kukkonen says the association will actively pursue a foreign head coach for the national cross-country team and, more broadly, internationalise the coaching structure. He notes that while Finland wants to retain what works, this is the right moment to integrate fresh ideas from abroad.

Kukkonen does not hide that the first look is toward Norway, the sport’s powerhouse. He declined to name targets but acknowledged he has sketched lists of potential contacts. Remaining national-team coaches Ville Oksanen and Pia Pekonen may continue.

The team itself is entering a transition. Krista Pärmäkoski has already confirmed this will be her final season, and retirements from experienced athletes such as Ristomatti Hakola, Perttu Hyvärinen and Kerttu Niskanen would not surprise Kukkonen. With three years to the 2029 Lahti World Championships, he believes ‘new eyes’ from outside Finland could accelerate progress.

Kukkonen also points to the example of Norwegian Erik Torneus Kulstad, who arrived in 2022 as a little-known figure and has excelled as Finland’s biathlon head coach—most recently celebrating victories with Suvi Minkkinen—as one factor supporting an international hire in cross-country.

Contract-wise, only ski jumping head coach Igor Medved’s deal is set to continue beyond this season; otherwise, several Nordic coaching posts are up for renewal. Kukkonen says fewer changes are expected in ski jumping and Nordic combined, where continuity is preferred after mixed results when personnel have changed too frequently.

A major variable is Nordic combined’s Olympic status. If women’s Nordic combined does not receive Olympic approval next summer, the sport’s funding and appeal in Finland could be significantly harmed, potentially even affecting men’s inclusion. If women are admitted, Kukkonen estimates 4–5 Finnish athletes could qualify for the Olympic Committee’s critical Team Finland status and funding. He recently discussed the situation with FIS Nordic combined director Lasse Ottesen, who indicated the IOC may require FIS disciplines to carve out women’s Nordic combined quota places from their existing event quotas. Kukkonen believes the Nordic disciplines within FIS would not oppose such a reallocation, noting that maintaining shared infrastructure is easier to justify when Nordic combined remains part of the family.

Kukkonen will present his staffing proposals to the Ski Association board and hopes decisions won’t drag deep into the spring. He adds that several domestic candidates—nearly ten so far—have already expressed interest in the open cross-country posts, and Finnish applicants will be considered seriously alongside any foreign candidates.