Nickname: Eehi Date of birth: 30th January 1996 Residence: Jyväskylä (Laukaa) Club: Jyväskylän Hiihtoseura Hobbies: fishing, hunting, chilling with friends Motto: –
Interview (11.03.2015)
Eero, my readers and I would like to get to know you a bit better. Please tell us when and how you started your career in Nordic Combined?
I started ski jumping when I was 13 years old. Before that, I trained cross-country skiing and also competed in running. Of course there were also many other sports in my life like football and swimming. But when I started ski jumping it was clear to me that I wanted to be a Nordic Combined athlete.
What kind of a person are you? Where would you find your strengths and weaknesses?
I am a very self-confident and social person. One of my strengths is that I demand a lot of myself but sometimes it is also a weakness because I always want to do things better and better and when I can't get some things working, I can be very angry at myself.
Now, let's have a look at the statistics: you came in 15th at the 10 km Individual Gundersen and were 4th with the team at the Junior World Championships in Almaty; you have worked up your way in the Continental Cup from 39th in Hoydalsmo to your first international podium (2nd) in Klingenthal and very recently qualified for your first World Cup at the upcoming Salpausselän Kisat. What are your thoughts on the season?
The season has been pretty good for me after a difficult summer. The beginning of the season was hard because cross-country training was difficult, but skiing has been better after good training sessions in December. Junior World Championships in Almaty were one of the main goals on my season but unfortunately I got sick after good competitions in Planica Continental Cup and then competitions in Almaty didn't go like I wanted... It took a few weeks to get better shape again after Almaty and in Klingenthal I had a very good weekend! At my first World Cup start in Lahti I had a good individual race and it was also nice to see that my jumping level is good also in World Cup. Now it is important to get a good training period in summer without being sick for a long time and so I believe that I will be better on the skiing track next season.
Do you have any goals for your future in this sport?
My goal in this sport is to reach those guys on the top, step by step, and then be one of these athletes who are able to be on the podium in every start.
What do you like to do in your free time and do you already have an idea about what to do after school?
In my free time I like to do different kind of things with my friends and spend time with my hobbies. Of course it is also nice to be alone and relax sometimes. After school I will perform my military service but what I am doing after that? I haven't decided yet, study something… But luckily I have still time to think about that.