Hannu Manninen © courtesy of FIS

July 25, 2013 – Hannu Manninen is the most successful Nordic Combined athlete of all times. The 35-year-old Finn from Rovaniemi collected a record-breaking number of 48 World Cup victories in 191 World Cup starts, three World Championship titles and one Olympic gold medal before retiring in 2011.

As part of its Newsflash series “Meet a Legend”, FIS took the opportunity to speak to him.

What does your life after your sporting career look like?
Hannu Manninen: Everything looks good in my life right now. In my professional life, I have started a new career as a pilot. I am now working for Flybe Finland as a first officer in an ATR 72 aircraft. My private life also goes very well. My family and I moved from Rovaniemi to southern Finland near Helsinki where it has taken a moment to get used to life in the new surroundings.

During your active career, you took some time off to focus on your family and training as an airline pilot before coming back to achieve further victories. At that time, were you not done with the sport yet?
HM: Yes, that’s correct. I felt I wasn’t done with my sporting career yet. Of course my study situation also changed which gave me enough time for training. And I just wanted to know if I could be on top of Nordic Combined again. I have to say: it really worked out!

How much time per month/year do you still spend on the jumping hill or the cross-country track?
HM: Well, on the jumping hill I don’t really spend any time anymore. Only at the Salpausselkä Games in Lahti as a spectator and if I visit my parents in Rovaniemi, I will go and check out the hills at the Ounasvaara ski centre. On the cross-country track, I have spent quite a bit of time since I finished my professional career as an athlete. I have even skied a few national races during the last two seasons, so I can say I have kept a good shape.

Who was your best buddy on the tour when you were still competing?
HM: I was in the Finnish team for such a long time that there have been many good buddies during the years. To mention just a few of them: Jari Mantila in the beginning of my career and Jaakko Tallus and Janne Ryynänen later on.

Which athlete of your times would you like to see compete in the Sochi Olympics and why?
HM: I would like to see all of the athletes I competed with and those who are still continuing their career. Of course it would be very interesting to see “the grand old man” Todd Lodwick competing in Sochi. I remember him from the very beginning of my international career at the Lillehammer Continental Cup in 1993. He won and I was second. I am also looking forward to see Magnus Moan of Norway who became a close person to me outside of the Finnish team.