Otto Niittykoski: “Who does not like the underdog story?”

Finnish Nordic Combined athlete Otto Niittykoski finished the 2025-26 season in the best form of his career. The 25-year-old followed a sixth place on home snow in Lahti with a career-best fifth place at the World Cup Finals in Oslo.

After a winter of ups and downs, Niittykoski now wants to build on that late-season breakthrough. Ahead of the new Nordic Combined season, he talks about finding confidence on the hill, a difficult summer and his ambitions for the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Falun.

You ended last season with a career-best fifth place in Oslo. Did part of you wish the season could have continued for a few more weeks?

For sure! One or two extra weekends would not have hurt in that kind of flow.

Your jumping really clicked at the end of the season, putting you fifth in Lahti and third in Oslo after the jumping. What changed for you on the hill, and were you able to keep that shape over the summer?

I think the turning point was in Kulm when I found the last bit of confidence in the jumping. After that, I didn't feel I needed to change anything on the hill to be high up in the ranking. I was able to trust myself that a normal, OK jump was enough and just enjoy jumping.

The first half of last season was difficult with illness, and you eventually missed the Olympics. How did you manage to turn such a frustrating winter into the best results of your career?

Last season was a bit of a rollercoaster. I missed the first part of the World Cup and the Olympic dream due to illness. But I am very happy that I could show that what I said before the season was not just talk.

Now, after that, I have had a lot of motivation to take another step towards the top, but it has not been that simple. I have had a lot of problems with my health, so the training has not been as I would have wanted. Also, our closest hill has been under construction the whole summer, so we have been traveling a lot to get jumping training.

Finland finished fourth in the Team event at the last World Championships in Trondheim. What are your goals for Falun, both individually and with the team?

I think for the team anything is possible. I think we will be the underdogs for sure, but who does not like the underdog story, right?

For myself, before the training season started, I set my goal to top six. Right now, that feels very optimistic, but I still believe it is possible if I am in the shape I want to be in at the World Championships.

Your dog often makes an appearance on social media and even joins you during roller-ski training. What role does he play in helping you switch off from Nordic Combined?

Nasu is actually afraid of poles but judges from a distance. When I am stressed, he relieves stress well, but when I am not stressed, he will make me stressed somehow. For example, by running off from a game night at Ilkka's place.

But it is great to have someone waiting at home when I come from training or competition. He does not even care how the training or competition went.