Kerttu Niskanen: No Plan B

Kerttu Niskanen: No Plan B

Kerttu Niskanen knew early on that she was going to be a professional skier. Her love for skiing has driven her to give everything she’s got, and to find joy even in the everyday grind.

Who: Kerttu Niskanen, a Finnish multiple-time World Championship and Olympic medalist in cross-country skiing

How she moves: On skis. Often with her dog riding in a trailer.

Where to follow: @kerttuniskanen

At the beginning of 2021, Kerttu Niskanen didn’t know what her future would hold. Just before the World Championships, she fractured her fibula, and her chase for medals turned into uncertainty about the rest of her career.

“With small injuries, you know they’ll heal eventually. But this was the first time I didn’t know if I’d ever ski again on a healthy leg,” Kerttu recalls four years later.

The uncertainty felt especially heavy because Kerttu had given her all to skiing from a young age.

“I remember thinking, maybe this is it.”

From play to profession

Kerttu always knew she wanted to be a competitive skier. Every decision she’s made has been aimed at that goal.

Her love for skiing began in her grandparents’ yard, where Kerttu, her older sister Katri, and a bunch of cousins spent hours playing on skis.

“We didn’t even have real trails. Our games were full of imagination, racing and building little jumps,” Kerttu says.

Her parents noticed her excitement and took her to proper ski tracks. From her first races, it was clear she had a fierce will to win. Early success only pushed her further.

“The decision to make skiing my career was really clear. I’ve always known I want to be a professional skier, and I’ve always worked toward that dream,” she says.

“Maybe skiing isn’t just play anymore, but I still get the same joy out of it as I did when I was little.”

From rookie to Olympic medalist

Ambition and a will to win alone aren’t enough in one of the toughest individual sports out there. Success takes relentless work.

At Vuokatti Sports High School in Finland, Kerttu realized she was still a work in progress compared to many others: full of drive and talent, but with plenty to learn.

Getting her own coach and committing fully to training changed everything. Today, her accomplishments include four Olympic medals, two World Championship medals, and plenty of Finnish national titles.

“Even though all the training is for races, I genuinely love the day-to-day training pushing myself hard,” she says.

A skier spends hundreds of hours a year training alone, something Kerttu actually enjoys.

“Some people might call it crazy spending so much time alone in the woods, training with your own thoughts. But I’ve never seen it as a chore. In some way, that suffering feels good,” Kerttu laughs.

Work ethic runs in the family

The Niskanens are a family of achievers. Kerttu’s sister Katri is one of Finland’s most successful fashion designers, her brother Iivo is a leading name in international cross-country skiing, and their youngest sister Iita runs her own bakery in Helsinki.

Kerttu believes her strong work ethic comes from home.

“Our parents taught us that without hard work, you can’t expect to get anything.”

Hard work was also needed to recover from her broken fibula in 2021. After a long rehab and persistent training, it was clear that she still didn’t need a backup plan. Kerttu returned to racing the following winter — and topped it off with two medals at the Beijing Olympics.

What keeps her motivated through tough days and heavy training?

“My passion for skiing has always been so strong that I’ve never had to go looking for motivation,” she laughs.

When rain is pouring down and the plan calls for a four-hour roller-ski workout, even one of the world’s best skiers might briefly wonder if it’s really necessary.

“No matter the weather, the workout gets done as planned. You can feel sorry for yourself for a minute, then you just go.”

Her own expectations matter most

Elite sport always comes with expectations, especially in Finland, where skiing is almost sacred.

“When you’ve achieved something once, people expect you to do at least as well the next time,” Kerttu says.

For her, it’s important to separate her own and her family’s expectations from everyone else’s noise. The first ones matter, the rest don’t.

Failure is part of sports, and when expectations are high, disappointments sting more. Kerttu is known for her honesty after races that don’t go as planned.

“I say things as they are. If I’m not in shape or the skis don’t work, I’ll say it. My team and I have realized that honest feedback is the best way to improve.”

The same Kerttu — on and off the trail

In Finland, skiing is a very public profession, and ski stars get pulled in all directions. It’s important to know when to draw the line.

“Sometimes it’s just great to be home, when no one’s watching or commenting on whether I’m cooking my oatmeal wrong,” she laughs.

Even though Kerttu values her privacy, she hasn’t built a separate public persona.

“I always want to be my real self. There isn’t an athlete-Kerttu and another Kerttu at home. I am who I am, people can take it or leave it,” she says, laughing.

When the season ends, Kerttu finally gets to enjoy skiing just for the fun of it. While many athletes head south for the sun, she can’t wait to get back on the snow.

“It’s a totally different kind of skiing: no heart-rate monitor needed. When there’s a nice café on the trail, we stop for a cinnamon roll,” she smiles.

On these trips, her husband and coach Juho Mikkonen is often with her, along with their dog Martta, who rides in a backpack or trailer.

“Martta loves the speed and the wind just as much as I do. I think we both love skiing.”

Kerttu’s tips for skiers

1: Keep skiing fun

Do things in a way that makes skiing enjoyable. The weather or the workout might be rough, but without joy, skiing becomes nothing but hard work.

2: Dress for the conditions

The right clothes make a huge difference, even for your mood. When you’re dressed right for cold or wet weather and feel good in your gear, you don’t have to think about it at all.

3: Invest in good gear

Skiing is a gear sport. Good, well-maintained equipment makes it so much more fun. If your skis don’t grip or glide properly, you won’t feel like going out again — I know that feeling well!