After winning Olympic gold on Fischer skis, the Austrian brand will not renew his contract.

After several years with Fischer and an Olympic gold medal, Iivo Niskanen will not have his contract renewed with the Austrian ski manufacturer. This was confirmed by Pader Planting, the head of the Finnish Fischer importer, to Finnish media.

The reason appears to be that Niskanen’s demands are too high, making him too expensive for Fischer.

“We do not have the means to pay what Iivo is asking for,” Planting told Yle.

“We are satisfied with what Iivo has achieved during his time with Fischer, but we have seen this coming for a while,” Planting added.

Since 2019

Niskanen has been associated with Fischer since 2019. He notably won gold in the 15-kilometer classic at the 2022 Olympics on Fischer skis. Now, that partnership has come to an end.

Niskanen has struggled with form issues and illness for several seasons. Last year, he missed the entire World Championships in Trondheim.

This year’s Olympics were not the championship the Finnish veteran had hoped for. He competed throughout the Olympics with a viral infection and returned home with a 17th place in the skiathlon and a fourth place in the relay.

In the World Cup, he secured a podium finish last winter, achieving second place in the 10-kilometer classic in Oberhof in January.

Also Read: Iivo Niskanen drops from top spot as Finland’s favorite athlete in individual sports

Starting from scratch

Good skis are crucial for performing at the highest level, and since the fluor ban was implemented, the differences have become even more pronounced.

Wax technicians, athletes, and product developers invest countless hours in testing and mapping to find the best competition pairs. Often, athletes also have one or more “gold pairs” of skis that work under specific conditions.

After years with Fischer, Niskanen must now start that process anew and build up a new fleet of skis from scratch.

Read More: Changing ski brands: Must test 40-50 pairs of skis

The story continues below.

More major changes

New skis are not the only change for Niskanen this year.

After several seasons of private training, Niskanen has now signed with the national team again. This occurred earlier this week, just days after the Swedish coaching profile Joakim Abrahamsson took over as head coach.

The Finnish Ski Association has revamped the entire coaching staff for the national teams this year. In addition to Abrahamsson, the successful Norwegian coach Hans Kristian Stadheim will also join the men’s national team this year.

Also Read: Finnish cross-country skiing team for season 2026/2027

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