As a child, Isac was no stranger to skiing, but soccer filled his early years until he went to Helsinki to study. He got to know Vasaloppet well by watching the race on Swedish television, and Isac’s father skied the 90-kilometer distance from Sälen to Mora several times, inspiring the young athlete. 

Now the legendary Vasaloppet is a familiar playground to Isac as he has participated in the race since 2014. In 2018, he managed to cross the finish line as the 84^th best skier, and ever since he has gradually gotten closer to the top. Last winter, only 33 skiers were ahead of him at the finish, which he reached about eight minutes behind the winner Andreas Nygaard. 

However, Vasaloppet was not Isac’s first long-distance ski race, as he started his long distance ski career at Botnia Vasa in Finland . Finlandia-hiihto, Finland’s largest mass skiing event, was pivotal in his decision to step into longer distances as he finished 10^th in 2017. Since that day, he has not looked back. 

Isac represented the Czech Vltava Fund Ski Team for several years, but now he has moved on to carry domestic colors in the ranks of Team Edux. He is pleased with the change and believes it will bring a new boost for him in his quest for excellence. 

– I already knew the skiers of Team Edux, so the transition to their team was easy. We have a nice team and a strong desire to train hard. Our goal is to be the best Finnish team in the Ski Classics series. We are trying to make long-distance skiing bigger in Finland, and hopefully next year’s results will generate more enthusiasm among other skiers as well. 

The appreciation of long-distance skiing has been hit hard in Finland due to the absence of Ylläs-Levi, the former finale of Ski Classics, the uncertainty of television rights and Ari Luusua’s doping scandal. The sport in Finland needs some top skiers, and Isac is ready to play his part. 

– I want to continue to develop every year and become a better skier. Next winter, to be in the top-20 at Vasaloppet would be a dream goal. Of course, I also focus on the overall competition and want to raise my level in that area as well. Of course, the competition gets tougher every year, and it’s harder to succeed because others are also developing and new tough skiers are joining Ski Classics every year. 

Reflecting on his goals for next winter, Isac takes a moment and goes back to last season, which didn’t quite go according to his plan. 

– I felt like I couldn’t get the most out of my body. Vasaloppet went well and I had good skis. That gave me a lot of motivation. Then, I knew I had done the right workouts, and that’s something I want to take with me for next winter as well. But I’m a bit disappointed with my performance as a whole last winter, but next season, I already want to be in great shape in January and, of course, build up for Vasaloppet. 

With his new team, Isac has gotten a chance to train with other skiers and have training camps on a monthly basis. Team Edux just ended their eight-day Vuokatti camp, and there will be another session next month. The team has also participated in a couple of roller-ski races in Finland, and they are now setting their sights on the Challengers event, Lake Saimaa Roller Ski Marathon, in Imatra, Finland, in September. 

– It’s really great that I get to train with others at our camps, because I used to train mostly by myself. I’ve done a lot of volume training during the summer and completed many long endurance workouts. So far, I’ve avoided intensive sessions so that my peak shape won’t come too early. Åland is a great place for training as there is varied terrain for roller-skiing and good asphalt surfaces. The Geta hill is about 6-8 minutes long on roller-skis, and the highest point is 100 meters above sea level. That’s where I can do my uphill intervals.  

Åland is Isac’s home, but in the winter he has to leave his home turf and move to the mainland in search of snow. This winter, he will stay in Vaasa and work half-time at an engineering company in Ostrobothnia, which will give him some financial support as well. 

– I want to enjoy skiing now and see how far I can get. One day when I finally quit active racing, I believe that the same enthusiasm of mine will be transferred to my work. I don’t know what I’m going to do career-wise yet. Now, I live in this moment. I also want family at some point and stay in Åland, or at least have some kind of base there. 

Isac admits that the experienced masters of Ski Classics are exemplary for him and prove that there are still many years of development left for him. 

– Tord Asle Gjerdalen, Anders Aukland and the other guys give me motivation, and I always try to follow what they are doing and implement it into my own training. Speaking of Ski Classics, I’m happy with the concept. Of course, there seems to be changes every year, and it would be good if the format became established in the coming years. Grand Classics is a good idea, and it’s easy to focus on those four races because everyone knows them and they’re always on the calendar.  

At the end of the interview, it’s time to ask about Isac’s motto for life. The words come out without hesitation, and surely, we all can implement his way of thinking into our own lives. 

– Hard work pays off. I like working hard, and I have to believe that success comes with it.