I recall a moment from my first adventure race in Stockholm. It was nighttime, and I was eating at the transition area. Right next to me was Petri Forsman, an adventure racing world champion, a multiple-time national and European marathon medalist and a few other accomplished athletes. I watched them from the sidelines and thought, “Wow, I want to be like them someday.” At the same time, I wondered how they could be so skilled and strong in every discipline. That was the moment my passion was born.

Twenty years later, I’ve not only become the athlete I once aspired to be—I’ve built a career in adventure racing, competing at a high level across multiple endurance sports.

That night, a bit cold and tired, I decided to get my first mountain bike and learn to paddle properly. At that time, I had never ridden a bike off-road, rarely ran on trails, and had no experience with navigation races.

I had to learn nearly everything from scratch, except for running. However, I had a strong background in sprint distances and long jump, competing at the national junior level for several years. My childhood scouting experience also introduced me to hiking and navigation, though those early attempts often ended in aimless wandering through the woods with the squat.

Since I didn’t know how to paddle well, I joined a local canoe club and spent my first summer just learning to stay upright in a racing kayak. The following summer, I trained with the competitive team, which eventually led me to national marathon paddling championships—where I secured podium finishes. For four years, I focused on paddling while continuing to compete in adventure races. This dedication gave me a major edge over my competitors, as strong paddling skills are rare in the sport. I trusted every day that the hard work would pay off in the future.

Cycling remained my weak point, so after my paddling years, I joined a road cycling team and committed another four years to developing my speed. I found a team that suited me well and, as a result, significantly increased my biking performance in adventure races. This transformation helped me compete at a top level in multi-day endurance events.

Now, every discipline is nearly balanced and at a firm technical level, allowing me to focus on maintaining race fitness and, most importantly, coaching others to achieve their adventure racing goals.

My biggest goal today is to support multisport athletes in reaching the finish line of their first long adventure race. Just as I once believed my efforts would pay off, I believe the same for those I now mentor.