SynchroNice / Fourth Edition / 2019

agree and disagree like anyone else. Indeed, we have a special connection just like twins do have. For example, if something is wrong, I can sense it before Saarastiina says a single word. OKAY, SO NOWYOU MADE INTO MARIGOLD ICEUNITY, WHAT’S NEXT? You mean my goals in Skating? They are simple. I want to become a world champion with my team. Now that synchro isn’t included in the Olym­ pics, the biggest goal are the world championships. Of course, I want to have that Gold Medal. Furthermore, since Marigold IceUnity is of course the best team in the world that I can be a part of, now I just want to win every competition with this team. And after that? You mean in the distant future? I would love to stay connected to the sport and when think of that I could see myself being a technical controller or specialist, but that isn’t relevant right now. WE ALWAYS HEAR THAT IT’S VERY DEMANDING TO BE ON A TOP TEAM LIKE MARIGOLD ICEUNITY? I have practices 5 days a week and some days, even multiple sessions. Next to that I’m studying at University of Ap­ plied Sciences here in Helsinki. I’m studying to get my degree ‘Bachelor of Business Administration specialized in Sales’. I’m pursuing a career as sales director. Sounds like you don’t have much time for a social life? My social life has surely taken some toll because of me performing in high-level sports. I really don’t have time for a social life when I combine my studying and skating. So, yes… when it comes to my love life, I’m also still single :) HAS SYNCHRO SKATING BEEN A POSITIVE INFLU- ENCE IN YOUR LIFE? Synchro skating has brought me a lot of positive things. It has affected the way I look at life in general, my goals, determination and basically everything. I suppose that if I wouldn’t have had Synchro in my life, I would just be an ordinary guy like so many, watching tv, playing games and stuff like that. Hard to know. You’re enlisted in the Army, I hear? Yes, that’s on for next year, I will be trained to be a recon specialist and perhaps even up to officer level, but I didn’t make my mind up yet. ANY OTHER SPORTS YOU CARE FOR? I do like other sports a lot. It’s easier to say what sports I don’t enjoy than what I do enjoy. Volleyball and basketball aren’t my thing but almost all other sports are super fun, though at this point, like I said, my only hobby is Synchronized Skating and that consumes all of my time. WHO DID YOU LOOK UP TO BESIDES MIU? I had some idols in skating, like Patrick Chan. I liked his skating style and it gave me some directions how I could skate myself. So yeah, he was my biggest source of inspiration. What are your own strengths as a skater? My strengths are that I’m an adaptive and agile skater. LET’S TALK ABOUTTHE CLOTHING, I CAN IMAGINE THAT YOU DEMAND AMOREMASCULINE COSTUME FOR YOURSELF? No, costumes or dresses if you will, aren’t a big thing to me, on the other hand if you would ask me about music…That is important to me. If it isn’t fitting to the theme, it gets very hard to skate to.Music is such a big factor in every Synchro program, that I had to lie to say that it doesn’t matter to me.My personal favourites to skate to are mostly movie soundtracks, but off ice I like to listen basically everything. Do you get a say in the choice of music? No, we can’t choose either music or theme. WHAT COMPETITION ISYOUR FAVOURITE? I honestly couldn’t tell you what my favourite competition is, but if I had to choose, the World Championships would be one of them for sure. These competitions are of another level. The atmosphere you’ll find at those Ice-rinks is just over­ whelming. Do you like the traveling? In most cases, yes, I like to travel to competitions but especially when we skate well in competitions, but I also like to travel to competitions because we get the chance to compare our skills with other competitors. DO YOU CARE TO COMMENT ON THE DISAPPOINT- MENT THAT WE DIDN’T MADE IT IN THE OLYMPICS? No, not really, but in order to grow as a sport I think that synchronized skating needs to have more competitions and has to expand their season and of course it just needs to grow as a sport. With that I mean more people should get involved in this sport, but I can’t deny the fact that Synchronized Skating is terrible expensive. It would help a lot if it wouldn’t cost that much. WELL, CMIL IT WAS NICE TALKING TO YOU. WE CER- TAINLY DIDN’T DISCUSS ANY GIRLY TOPICS, DID WE? BECAUSE YOU’RE STILL HERE. :) IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD, OR DID I MAYBE FORGET TO ASK SOMETHING? Well, there is one thing I like to share, about what I have learned from skating. And I’d like to share it in a quote; If you want to become better, you must change the way you do things (it is a quote of my own). It applies to me quite well because I always try to question myself why I am doing like this, how can I be better, is there any other way to do this etc. The solution to all these kinds of questions is simply changing your old ways. So, this is what I repeat to myself when I want to become better. Thanks for the Interview. 