FIS Athletes’ Commission: Sami Jauhojärvi

Thu, Jun  25, 2009 - By FIS

The members of the FIS Athletes’ Commission were elected by the participating athletes at the 2009 FIS World Championships and the newly-elected Commission recently held its first meeting. Sami Jauhojärvi (FIN) is the representative of the male Cross-Country skiers on the FIS Athletes’ Commission.

The 28-year-old, known as Musti, represents the Vuokatti Ski Team Kainuu, has competed in the World Cup circus since 2001 and recently developed into a top skier. With his first World Cup victory and two medals at the 2009 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships the past season was his best yet. Likeable Sami Jauhojärvi, married to his wife Laura since 2008, is an easy-going athlete who speaks four languages (Finnish, English, Swedish and German).

FIS Newsflash: As a newly-elected member of the FIS Athletes’ Commission, what are your goals in this role?

Sami Jauhojärvi: My goal is to work closely with the other athletes and FIS to solve problems and improve our sport. In the next months I will contact Cross-Country skiers from all the nations – small and big – to show them what kind of opportunities we have and let them know that together we can develop a lot.

FIS Newsflash: What was your first impression from the Athletes’ Commission meeting and the FIS Committee Meetings?

Sami Jauhojärvi: I felt that all members of our Commission are really enthusiastic. Everybody was looking forward to working together and to making a difference. Within the Commission, we have already had a lot of email contact and ideas on how we can try to make several things better. Also I felt very welcome by the entire FIS family and I have to say it was interesting to see what is going on during the meetings.

FIS Newsflash: Besides your work for the Athletes’ Commission, what will do you this summer to prepare for the Olympic season?

Sami Jauhojärvi: We just finished our first glacier training camp in Norway and other training camps are coming up. We are for example going to train in Ramsau on two occasions. So, we are travelling quite a lot even in the summer. For the upcoming season, the Olympics are surely the major focus. There, my main goal is the 50 km race in classical technique. But we have also adapted my training program to improve my sprint in order to finish well in the Olympic sprint event in classical technique.

Recorded by Sandra Spitz