What are your thoughts on the last winter? What do you think about the season, are you satisfied with your results?
Wille: I’m satisfied with my results in the beginning of the last season. I got to compete in World Cup in Ruka and Lillehammer and I had pretty promising competitions in Continental Cup in the beginning of 2018. JWSC was a huge disappointment for me and after that I had very big issues with the jumping. Even though my skiing shape was better in the end of season I wasn’t able to have good results after the JWSC. Altogether the season was mediocre and varying.
Are there any things you need to change for the next season concerning jumping or mental strength?
Wille: For the next season I will focus more on jumping and especially to those things that have a significant effect on jumping like stretching, jumping power and so on. I’ll also do the mental trainings during the training season and of course I want to improve my xc skiing for the next season as well.
How are you preparing for the upcoming season?
Wille: I will of course prepare by training. In addition I’m going to move to Vuokatti in August before the school starts again and I’m truly excited about that because we will have a really good training group, coaches and circumstances there!
What are your goals for next season and your future in this sport in general?
Wille: For the next season the biggest goal for me is of course the JWSC in Lahti! I would like also to fight for top 10 positions in the Continental Cup and especially get my jumping to a better level. Of course the World Cup starts would be amazing too. In the future I really want to fight for the Crystal Globe in World Cup and win the gold medal in the Olympics.
What was the best achievement of your career so far and what the biggest disappointment?
Wille: I think the biggest achievement for me so far is the bronze medal from team competition in JWSC Rasnov 2016. Instead the biggest disappointment is the JWSC in Kandersteg last season.
Next season the Mass Start will return to World Cup - what do you think about it?
Wille: Last year I had two chances to compete in Mass Start in Continental Cup. I really like that kind of competition form and it’s great that we are going to have it in World Cup again!
06.07.2017
FNCA: What is your opinion on last season with your first COC points and the participation in Junior World Championships?
Wille: I'm very happy with the first COC points, especially with the 13th position in Otepää. The experience to participate the JWSC was great, but the results were not good at all.
FNCA: Are there any things you need to change for the next season concerning jumping, skiing or mental strength?
Wille: For the next season I'll concentrate more on jumping. I have already had some good training sessions in Austria and in Slovenia. There are some technical things I'm trying to change. For the XC everything is going fine, mental training is taken care of by my mental coach.
FNCA: How are you preparing for the upcoming season?
Wille: I'm naturally focusing on training, having a proper rhythm with jumping and skiing and I've also been paying a lot of attention to the nutrition.
FNCA: How do you handle school next to trainings and competitions?
Wille: I have no bigger problems with school. Right now there are vacation and on August the 2nd year in sports gymnasium begins. I'm traveling a lot, but I'm able to connect with school with my laptop from everywhere.
FNCA: You have just been chosen to the Haastajaryhmä (chasing group of the national team) - what are your goals for next season and your future in this sport in general?
Wille: My main goal for next season is to succeed in the JWSC in Kandersteg. I wish to attend to as many Continental Cup competitions as possible and naturally get many COC points plus to do my personal best. In general I wish to make my way to national team and of course to be on the top one day.
@ COC Klingenthal 11.03.2016
FNCA: So Wille, last summer you told us that the Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer are a big goal for you this season. You were 8th in the 5 km Individual Gundersen. How do you feel about this result?
Wille: Yes, that is true. It was okay for me. The jump was ok although I had problems with jumping at first because I have grown this season. It was always like I had very good jumps in the first training, good ones in the second and bad jumps in the third training. That was quite hard for me. Yeah, so I was 8th and said that it was okay for me. But the race was only 5 km and I think that I could have been better on a longer distance. I'm generally better at long distances and at skiing.
FNCA: What was it like to compete on the highest international youth level?
Wille: It was really great to compete there! It was organized like the adult Olympics and I think I'll remember that for my whole life.
FNCA: You were also part of the Finnish team at the JWSC in Romania. What are your thoughts on both the individual competitions and the team race?
Wille: The first Individual (10 km) was very good for me. The jump could have been better but it was quite good and skiing went very, very well. I had very good skis and it felt almost perfect. That was the best competition of the season for me. The 5 km wasn't as good. The jump was better but I chose the wrong skis and when you have the wrong skis, you can't do so much. In the Team race my jump was very, very bad but skiing was very good and I again had very good material. I did my best, we all did our best and it was a good race for the whole team.
FNCA: Last but not least, which goals do you have for the Finnish nationlas and next season?
Wille: I think it would be nice to be at more Continental Cups and the bisggest goal for next season are the JWSC in Park City. Lahti would also be nice but it's not a goal for me. And for the nationals it would be nice to get a good jump and a hard skiing race.