Experienced Norwegian Magnar Dalen has been named cross-country head coach and Eero Hietanen cross-country assistant coach for Finnish Ski Association. The Finnish Ski Association announced its new coaches Wednesday. Pekka Kemppi was named head of ski service.
42-year-old Dalen, who has been living many years in Sweden, is internationally best known for his work at Swedish and Norwegian Cross-Country Teams. He was the head coach for Swedish Cross-Country team 1998-2002 and before that had been working as head of ski service for Swedish and Norwegian Cross-Country Teams.
Since 2002 he has been working as coach at Järpen Skidgymnasium and chief of sports at Östersund Skidklubb. Dalen, who succeeds Reijo Jylhä as head coach, starts his position officially on June 1.
â€I have always liked projects in which the goals are set. Finland is a strong cross-country nation but in past years the results have not fulfilled the expectation. Sport has its ups and downs and I want to participate in turning Finnish cross-country skiing to upward trend againâ€, says Dalen and continues:
â€I know Finland already has a strong ladies’ team, in which most skiers are still young. I do believe, that also in men’s team there are athletes who want to develope and are ready to work in order to accomplish medal goals.â€
Dalen stresses the meaning and importance of cooperation and commitment.
â€I want that all parts involved, athletes, coaches and the Ski Association, are behind the goal set together and ready to do a lot of workâ€, he says.
43-years-old Eero Hietanen is well known for Finnish skiing community. Hietanen has been Finnish Cross-Country Junior Team Coach 1992-95 and Cross-Country B-team Coach 1995-98. The past few years Hietanen has been working at Santa Claus Sports Institute in his hometown Rovaniemi.
43-year-old Pekka Kemppi has been ski technician for Finnish Cross-Country Team since 1999 and has earned also international experience as he worked at Thunder Bay Training Center 1996-98 as coach and head of ski service.
The new coaches will meet athletes in action first time on open ski testing camp, which take place in Saariselkä on the last week of April. Total of 26 athletes have been invited to the open camp, the new teams for season 2006/07 will be named after discussions and testes done during the camp.
