Kerttu Niskanen
Vieremän Koitto

Date of birth: 13 June 1988

Achievements in 2010-2011
Major events
8th in the World Championships 2011
(W, 10 km classic)
Gold medal in the Junior World Championships
2011 (W23, sprint, classic)
1st in the Junior World Championships 2010 (W23, 10 km Classic)
7th in the Junior World Championships 2010 (W23, 15 km Classic + Free)

Finnish Championships
Gold, Finnish Championships 2011 (W, 30 km
classic)
Gold in the Finnish Junior Championships 2010 (W23, 5 km Classic)
Silver in the Finnish Junior Championships 2010 (W23, 10 km Free)
4th in the Finnish Championships 2010 (W, 30 km Classic)

Best achievement in a World Cup event
9th in 10 km classic, Otepää, Estonia, 2012
4th in couples sprint, Liberec, the Czech Republic, 2011

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A member of the Finnish National Team A, Kerttu Niskanen has already accumulated a few World Cup starts during the past few years. Her personal best was coming in ninth in Otepää, Estonia, in 2012. Last season, Kerttu won her first gold medal in the Finnish Championships for adults by winning the 30 km race in the classic style. In the Junior World Championship, Kerttu won the gold medal in the sprint race and the bronze medal in the combined classic and skate race. The season's high point was her first start in an adults' race at the Oslo World Championship race, where she finished eighth among tough competition.

"The final part of last season went very well and left me feeling very positive. I was almost sad when the season came to an end as the races were going so well. Training during the summer months progressed nicely and I've been healthy, so I'm very much looking forward to the coming season. Since I will be skipping the World Championship tour this coming season, my main goal is to be successful in Tour de Ski, which will take place at the turn of the year," says Kerttu.

At present, competition in the national team is tough – a fact that motivates Kerttu to train even harder.
"The national team now includes seven women who are competing for a chance to participate in the World Cup races. You have to work very hard throughout the season to earn your place in the Cup events."