Niklas Malacinski Interview
Get pumped and excited today as we return to the sport of Nordic Combined by speaking with American rising star Niklas Malacinski about the amazing sport and his amazing journey in it! We find out from Niklas how he got into the sport and how being able to touch an Olympic medal helped spur on his Olympic dreams. We also find out about the unique combination of training the sport requires and how the balance works when it comes to it. Added to this we find out more about his love of all things Finland and just why he loves food so much. It's a great chat that you will be loving every second of! So don't miss it!
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Please note this is an automated transcript that may contain errors.
BEN WATERWORTH: It is Off The Podium, An Olympics Podcast coming to you today for another athlete interview, as we inch so close to the Beijing Winter Olympics. And today we are returning to the great sport of Nordic Combined. You know I'm excited, you know how much I love this sport. And we're speaking to rising star in the sport, American Niklas Malacinski. Now, Niklas is an emerging star in the sport. He competed at the 2020 Youth Olympics, finished fifth there, has had some great success earlier this year throughout some of the competitions in both the US and in Europe. Competed in the World Championships in the team event. And a very interesting story about his time at the Junior World Championships. He was unfortunately disqualified there, but a unique story he tells about why he was disqualified. But this is a fascinating chat to learn a lot more about the sport, to learn the unique aspect of it. Why it's a sport that still a lot of people really don't know a lot about in certain parts of the world. And just why people should learn more about it. So this is a fantastic chat. You're gonna enjoy it. Here is our chat with American Nordic Combined Athlete, Niklas Malacinski.
BEN WATERWORTH: I'm a massive fan of one sport when it comes to the Winter Olympics, and we've only ever had one guest from this sport on the show before. I wasn't on that episode, so this is the very first time that I have been able to talk to somebody from this sport. The sport, of course, is Nordic Combined, the greatest sport that exists on the planet, let's be honest. And I'm very excited to learn more about it today from an athlete who is on the cusp of potentially making the Beijing Olympics, competes with Team USA, has competed at the Youth Olympics, and is doing some great things through the sport out there on the world stage. It is a pleasure to welcome to Off The Podium, Niklas Malacinski. Niklas, first of all, welcome to Off The Podium. It's a pleasure to chat with you today.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Thank you, I'm excited to be on here.
BEN WATERWORTH: I'm excited for you to be on here too, because as I said, Nordic Combined, this sport is just amazing. I absolutely love Nordic Combined. And I always am intrigued when athletes compete in sports, where it's multiple sports combined, that it just, it works. There should be more of these. There should be more sports that are all combined together, put them all in the Olympics, and just make it just more entertaining than they already are. So, I mean, do you try and sell this sport as just such an incredible sport that I ski jump and I cross-country ski? This basically makes me awesome, because I do two sports in one, therefore it is an awesome sport.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, so it's actually kind of interesting. I usually present my sport as ski jumping to people who don't grow up in the environment of Nordic Combined, just because Nordic Combined is not a very common sport to some people. So I'll introduce it as ski jumping, and then I'll actually add on it's Nordic Combined, so it's ski jumping and cross-country skiing. So yeah, most people just don't know what Nordic Combined is.
BEN WATERWORTH: Which it's fascinating to think, because it's funny how you say like, people automatically know what ski jumping is. I mean, obviously they do. I mean, I'm assuming people know what cross-country is. So it's kind of fascinating that people don't really sort of know it, kind of what it is. And what are people's reactions when you kind of do sell it to them? It's like, oh, okay, bonus, you do too. Like, that's kind of cool.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, exactly. It's, I mean, combining two sports is not very common nowadays. But I get, I've gotten some pretty funny reactions. And I guess it's kind of confusion of like kind of why would you even do that to completely different sports?
BEN WATERWORTH: Which I then have to ask the question then, Niklas, why do you, like sort of what led you into getting into Nordic Combined?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: It's, a big part of it is growing up in a ski town. I grew up in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, as well as Rwanda and Finland. So skiing has kind of been engraved into my lifestyle. And one day I just saw the newspaper on the Olympic winners, or Olympic medallists, Bill DeMong, Johnny Splane and Todd Lodwick. And I actually got to go to some kind of convention they had and I held their medals and all. And from there on, I kind of knew I wanted to be in that path of Nordic Combined. And I'd say, other than that, it's just, I guess how weird the sport is, is kind of what got me into it.
BEN WATERWORTH: So when it comes to that aspect of growing up in Steamboat Springs, in sort of a ski town, I mean, is it also a case of you are trying all the disciplines, so like you're giving alpine a bit of a go, you know, some freestyle aspects, snowboarding, things like that. And then eventually it was maybe some of the Nordic events that kind of stuck with you as well.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, so I've been in a ton of sports growing up. My mum put me in cross-country skiing. My dad's a ski instructor. So it's like, I've got the variety of different Nordic and skiing sports. It's just, I think ski jumping stuck with me because I guess I just love the feeling of flying and it's indescribable. But then I also stayed with cross-country skiing just because I'd say being able to see the hard work that pays off is pretty great.
BEN WATERWORTH: You're mentioning that it's sort of not the most common sport and that a lot of people sort of aren't familiar with it. When it comes to steamboat springs though, I mean, it seems that a lot of Nordic combined skis come from steamboat springs in the US. I mean, is that, I guess, the capital for the sport when it comes to the US? Is that the one place where maybe if you were to bump into somebody in the street, they're gonna be more likely to have heard of Nordic combined than they would say if you're walking downtown New York or Los Angeles or something like that?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, 100%. I'd say it's one of the capitals of Nordic combined, I'd say. It's mostly, I guess, in the bigger areas of where it is is Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Park City, Utah, and Lake Closet, New York. I'd say those are the hotspots, but Steamboat has always been known for Olympians coming out of here. And honestly, I think it's just the environment of the small ski town and the history behind ski jumping here.
BEN WATERWORTH: I was reading a bit about Steamboat Springs, and it seems very interesting because it's not the biggest town, but the amount of Olympians it's produced. So, I mean, is that, it's number one export, Olympians basically, because it really does see for a town of that size, it's got some great facilities, it's obviously in a very good location for athletes from winter sports. But I mean, this is what it's best known for.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, 100%, I think. In my experience, I've seen, or like I've been able to train with many very successful athletes from here too.
BEN WATERWORTH: In terms of the aspect of being in Finland as well, I mean, how is the sport in Finland? Is it a little bit bigger than it is in the US? Because obviously Nordic Combined is very big in European countries. Is Finland one of those countries where it is a very big sport?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, I'd say it's not as big as it used to be, but it's still huge. I mean, it's a part of the Nordic countries and it's engraved in their history. So it's cool to be a part of that kind of culture too.
BEN WATERWORTH: You mentioned meeting those guys with the medals, getting to hold their medals. I mean, obviously it was a very big deal in Vancouver for the sport in the US for the medals that were won. US had never won medals in Nordic Combined ever at the Olympics and then won a bunch in Vancouver obviously. And that I'm sure not only inspired someone like you, but I mean, other people. I mean, was that a case of the sport really did boom? You know, I mean, you've grown up with it kind of. That's kind of been what you've been doing. But did you all of a sudden find other people there that were maybe just doing ski jumping and like, oh, I'm gonna add the cross-country skiing to it. Let's Nordic Combined. This is great. The US has done well in this. So let's get into it.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah. So I mean, I can't say I remember exactly people specifically coming into the sport because of those guys. I'm sure it happened, but I was so young. I wouldn't remember that. But most of the time, athletes actually start out as cross-country skiers, and then they start to incorporate ski jumping in there. That's, I'd say, the most common route.
BEN WATERWORTH: Which is that then a lot of people, is it, when it comes to the sport and you're sort of getting to develop in it further and progress up the ranks, is that then more difficult to learn the ski jumping aspect if you're doing the cross-country kind of things? I mean, sort of what, if you're focused on that so young and then adding that to it, I mean, what are sort of the difficulties in adding ski jumping to what you already know in cross-country skiing?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: So honestly, most people do start when they're really young, even for ski jumping. Like I started when I was seven. So you kind of get the basics down when you're young, if you start that young. But I'd say no matter who it is, it's the same for almost any sport is you start with the basics. You start with technique on dry land, then you move to maybe five-metre hill, and then maybe outruns. And then you just keep working off the hill sizes as you build confidence and experience. And honestly, it's a never-ending cycle of just building.
BEN WATERWORTH: We've had a few ski jumpers on recently, and I sort of love hearing that first moment when they've gotten on to one of the big hills, be it the 90 or the 120. Do you remember your first time getting on to one of those hills and what that experience was like?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, so I was actually, my first big hill or 90 was also in Steamboat, as well as the big hill. And like I said before, the feeling is just indescribable, especially when it's your first time, just the amount of adrenaline pumping through your blood and the excitement of a successful landing. I'd say when I was younger, it was more nervousness than excitement, but now it kind of grew into just excitement.
BEN WATERWORTH: So in terms of then the training aspect, I mean, you're loving the excitement there of the ski jumping, but obviously I'm no doubt you're balancing the skiing aspect with the ski jumping. So do you just kind of have, oh, it's a cross country day. Oh, I don't get to fly today. Oh, well, like, you know, that will come back to that tomorrow. Or is it sort of a balance where you can kind of keep that excitement still going for that cross country element when you're training?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: It's definitely a balance. I think I have, I have love for both sports. And most of the time, I'm excited to go out, no matter what I'm doing. And I'd say sometimes the break from jumping can also help mentally, just because it is, it's kind of funny how close this to golf is. Like, it's so mental that the smallest thing can happen in the next day you're jumping the worst, and another day you're jumping the best you've ever jumped. So I'd say sometimes breaks are nice, but I'm always motivated to go out, no matter what it is.
BEN WATERWORTH: It's interesting you mentioned the golf aspect, because that's something that's come up a lot with our ski jumping guests. And it's something that I was not really familiar with. The really large mental aspect of ski jumping. But then of course, with cross-country skiing, that is clearly more physical. So I mean, that's where the unique aspect is of this sport, isn't it? Where you've got such a mental aspect of one sport and then a physical aspect of the other and kind of combining it, which again must make it incredibly difficult on that training aspect, because you've got to get the focus of a mental side of things that a ski jumper would do, mixing with the physical side that you would already do and the physical side across country. And then that means it's a shit show, Niklas. It sounds like it must be an amazing thing to train for that you're constantly always doing.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, I agree. It's quite the experience, I'd say. And usually how it goes is when you improve in one aspect, which, let's say, jumping, then you'd get, you maybe wouldn't have the fastest times in skiing and vice versa. It's kind of a game of catch up in each sport. I'd say it's pretty rare that you're in your most elite shape in both sports at a time.
BEN WATERWORTH: Which is it also when it comes to the age aspect of it too, is there a peak age for a Nordic Combined athlete in terms of, are you better when you're younger? Do you need to sort of grow into it? Because again, we're learning ski jumping a lot about body size and shape and kind of your body growing and fitting into it. So I can imagine that would play a part of it. I mean, what's the general peak age of a Nordic Combined athlete?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Right. So I'd say the majority of athletes start when they're pretty young, I'd say under 10 years old or around there. But there are some pretty successful athletes that have come up from starting at an older age, like my sister, Anika Malacinski. She started when she was 16, and she's 20 now, and she's doing super well. She just got top 10s in the Summer Grand Prix, and she's improving drastically. So it really depends on the person. Some people can't do that. But I'd say the prime age is right around 10 years old, because that allows your body to kind of grow into it, I'd say.
BEN WATERWORTH: I was going to ask about Anika, because I noticed her results and things that she was doing. I mean, did she follow in your footsteps? Was it a case of seeing what you were doing out there, or kind of was it just, hey, look, you know, why not? Let's give it a crack.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, so I'd say she started as a gymnast, actually. She was actually pretty successful in gymnastics, but then she got injured too many times, and then she kind of was in this period of like, what do I do next? And then it was actually 4th of July, we have this event here in Simbo. It's called Jumping In Gym, and it's basically just kind of a for fun event. Ton of people come out and watch and all that, but that was actually the day she decided to try ski jumping in Nordic Combined. And she just fell into it, fell in love with it just like I did.
BEN WATERWORTH: Wow, fantastic. Jumping in, that sounds like an event that everybody should attend. I mean, that sells itself, right? I mean, fourth of July, go to Steamboat, jumping and jiving, just get involved. That's epic. Fantastic. Which does that, when you've got a sibling kind of in the sport now as well, does that help kind of spur you on in some weird way? Not that you weren't already, but to kind of have that family connection. Because I can imagine then the dinner conversations with your parents are quite exciting. Oh, so at the Olympics yet? Oh, nearly. At the Olympics yet? Nearly. And it's kind of got this common goal that you can have this Sunday night dinner conversation over.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, exactly. I'd say having a sibling in the sport is a huge support. I mean, when we're at home training by ourselves without the team, we motivate each other to train. It's fun to always have a training partner. And yeah, it's having similar goals as your sibling is definitely a blessing.
BEN WATERWORTH: You mentioned before about sort of improving different aspects. Does your coach sort of look and go, okay, Niklas, you're killing it on the ski jump. You're doing very well, but you're dropping a little bit on the cross country. And there's like a balance there in which there's always got to be a maintaining aspect so that if you are maybe not achieving certain aspect in one of the disciplines that there's really got to be that equal weighted balance there.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, so I'd say it's hard to explain, but so I'd say it's cross country skiing. As long as you're training correctly, you're almost always going to build off of the season before or something like that. But I'd say it's if you're in fall season and you notice something's wrong with your cross country skiing, there's not much you can do about it anymore. There are small things, but the big thing with cross country skiing is you don't really have an off season. Your off season is still training. And so the summer, which is your off season, is basically training to get better than your last year's winter season. But it's, yeah, that's I'd say the best I could explain it.
BEN WATERWORTH: Which is also to the summer aspect of ski jumping, because there's that summer element where you can still do it basically without the snow, right? So, I mean, do you ever have an off season technically, Niklas, if you can constantly always do both, even when there's no snow?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, so I'd say there's small periods where you can't jump in spring and fall when we switch. Like, we put snow on us on the hills so the snow catches better. And in that period of time, there's a few weeks out of the time where we can't jump. But otherwise, it's always on.
BEN WATERWORTH: In terms of the physical training, like, what's a general gym workout for you kind of? What are you focusing on when you're actually hitting the gym and you're getting yourself in peak condition to go towards a competition?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: I'd say in the gym, it's mostly finding the balance of optimising your power and still staying light, because you do need to be very light for the sport to fly. So it's a lot of strategy on keeping a lightweight while building power. So it's like you got to find the right balance between your power to weight ratio.
BEN WATERWORTH: So in general, as a Nordic Combined athlete, I can imagine a little heavier than just say a solely ski jumping athlete, because you've got that power element that you need for the cross country part. So therefore, you would be a little bit heavier, a bit more muscle build up than say your average just solo ski jumper.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, so normally Nordic Combined athletes are a bit heavier, but I think you'd be surprised on how light some of the skiers are and how fast they are. It doesn't seem possible actually on how fit some of these skinny guys are. And it's a constant fight between finding that balance.
BEN WATERWORTH: And in terms of the mental training as well, I mean, do you have anything specific that you like to do to kind of help with that mental preparation when it comes for the ski jumping? And even also, of course, the mental aspect that is involved in cross country.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Right, so I'd say meditation and visualisation is a huge part of our training. Basically visualisation when you visualise, for example, like a perfect ski jump and feel those feelings. It's almost like a session off the hill.
BEN WATERWORTH: We spoke with Paige Jones and she was talking to us about her poetry that she liked to do before she did a jump. That kind of helped her get in the zone. I mean, do you have anything extra? I mean, she also listened to music. Is there like a little secret, little Niklas thing that you like to do that maybe helps you a little bit more than say other athletes that they maybe don't try?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: I don't think there's anything I don't do differently, I'd say. For me, it's just breathing exercises. I just try to keep calm.
BEN WATERWORTH: You went to the Youth Olympics in 2020. What was that experience like? Because I always love hearing about experiences at the Youth Olympics, because they just seem like such a great event to not only compete in, but also give you a bit of a taste for an Olympic Games, get you experience in a multi-sport event, and be around athletes of a similar age as well. So what was that whole experience like going to the Youth Olympics?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, it was, honestly, it was awesome. I loved it. It was just a community of athletes, like everyone being like you. I guess it's different than being at home and having just friends that don't have anything other than school in their life and stuff like that. It's really something that you can bond over with these people. And honestly, you meet so many people. It's, let's say, if these Beijing Olympics, if I get the opportunity to go, and if they're anything like that, I'm more than excited.
BEN WATERWORTH: Which, how competitive is it in terms of everyone? Because it seems like a lot more relaxed atmosphere. Obviously, the age kind of helps that. But I still can imagine it's quite competitive. I read in a questionnaire that you did before the Games, you're like, I want to finish top six, and you finished fifth overall. So you achieved that. But do you come out of that going, I finished top six, great. Or do you kind of leave going, so close to a medal, I could have done it. You know, really there, nearly happened.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: So I actually like to keep a mentality of, like I'm never really, I guess I am, I do enjoy small moments of success and when I achieve my goals, but I like to keep a cool head of just like, I guess like I can keep going from here and building from here. So it's never like, oh, I made it. It's more just like these small moments of happiness. And then I try to avoid getting disappointed or anything that makes sense. I try to keep a mentality of it. It just is. It's not good or bad. It just is.
BEN WATERWORTH: I like that. I kind of that's a way of working around that. Do you get sort of soaked up in the atmosphere then that you would probably have around say like the village life? Do you get involved in things like pin trading and kind of meeting all these people? And as you're saying, sort of, you know, relating to them, but getting to hang out with some of the snowboarders or the figure skaters or sort of, you know, people that you maybe don't get to associate too much at some of the events you go to.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, so I definitely took advantage of that. I mean, I was doing all the pin trading. I was doing most of the events, and I was socialising and meeting new people as much as I can or could.
BEN WATERWORTH: What is a, is there like a sneak out party or something like that you can have at the Youth Olympics? I mean, you're also sort of young. That's what you're wanting to do, right? So I can imagine like, hey, like meet me at 11 o'clock, we'll sneak behind there. Well, you know, let's go out and have some fun.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: So it was actually surprising on how tight the security was. It was like you'd have to check in and out with their coaches and the security if you leave the village or for us, it was like a vortex type hotel. And you couldn't bring anything in that they like wouldn't check. And it was crazy. Like I had a small pocket knife actually when I arrived, and they took that from me. Wow. Yeah. It was I was surprised on how tight security was.
BEN WATERWORTH: Did you try and flaunt it at all? Nicholas was in one moment. We like, Oh, come on, we can beat these guys. Come on. There's got to be something we can do here.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: I can't say I can't say I tried anything, but you know, I was there to compete at my best. So I had to keep that in mind.
BEN WATERWORTH: In terms of the competition sides, and we'll probably get to the lead up on how things are tracking for Beijing. But I mean, earlier this year, doing some great things in the Continental Cup, go to the World Cup as well. Sort of how have you felt about your progression kind of through the sport as you keep rising through the ranks and doing well in these events and kind of as we track closer and closer to Beijing?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, you know, actually, at the start of the season, I was quite shocked with my immediate success. The early season, and I had high goals, and I had, as I always believed, I could do it. But when it came, it came pretty quickly. And from there on, luckily, I was able to adapt pretty quickly. And rethinking my goals, and I'd say I was able to just build off that, and I'd say that's what led to a very successful season for me.
BEN WATERWORTH: What happened, the Junior World Champs you go towards, and I'd read in an interview that this was sort of obviously a real focus for you, but you disqualified from these events. I mean, what happened, and how do you get disqualified from a Nordic Combined event at a competition?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Right, so the equipment rules are actually pretty strict on your suit and skis and basically all your equipment. So in my situation, actually, we, so my suit didn't pass enough air. They have this machine that forces air through the suit material, and if the number is too low, then you're disqualified. And in my case, it was honestly just a lack of being prepared. I mean, we tested the suit many times before, but those numbers change as the suit stretches and conforms. And it was pretty upsetting because I'd competed in that same suit like for three weekends before that, and all of the testers or staff members tested it. All of the equipment control staff tested it every single weekend, and the numbers were fine, but then all of a sudden the numbers changed. So it was pretty disappointing, but I'd say I was able to look past it pretty well.
BEN WATERWORTH: How do they change? Like, is it a case of you wash it in a different detergent and it adds something to it? Like, I mean, you fold everything. I can't see how it would change if you're doing all that testing, and all of a sudden they go, no, numbers are wrong, you're disqualified.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, so actually, I think the conclusion that we came to was that the equipment control guy tested the suit a different way. So it was like they flipped the material to where the air is being pushed, I guess, out of the suit instead of into the suit. And I guess that's kind of our theory on how the numbers changed, but it's crazy on how inconsistent the, I mean, testing can be, and they can test absolutely everything. There's so many different rules and regulations that if they want to DQ you, they'll find a way.
BEN WATERWORTH: It's crazy to learn so many of these unique rules when it comes to the sport. Because, I mean, that obviously adds that extra layer of frustration that sure, if you're disqualified because, you know, you get a false start or something that you've done yourself, it's kind of something, okay, I can work on that. But when it's really through no fault of your own, like that just must add that extra level of frustration to it. Because that's not something you personally can fix, is it?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Right, so I guess there is just preparation, I guess, is the best thing you can do in that situation. Practise being measured and to just prepare for everything. So make sure your suit is legal in every way possible is, I guess, the only thing you really can do in that situation.
BEN WATERWORTH: You got to go to the Senior World Champs and the team event ninth. I mean, what was that experience like? And you're on the team with someone like Taylor Fletcher, who I'm sure was one of the guys you probably met back when you're meeting all the Olympians, and now he's your teammate. So what's that experience like going to an event like that and being next to someone like Taylor?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, it was really cool. I'd say I learned a lot from that event, and it really did give me a taste of the higher level of competition and what the top guys do in that amount of pressure. Yeah, it was a huge learning experience, and I'm excited to build off that.
BEN WATERWORTH: In terms of Beijing, where are we tracking right now? I believe it sort of comes down to quotas. The US can have up to five competitors, to which at the time of recording this, I think you've only got one at the moment, if I'm not mistaken. So how is that tracking and sort of what are your chances going towards Beijing that you could be on that plane with the rest of the team?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Well, I'm not going to speak on, I guess, chances of being on the team just because everything can change so quickly in our sport that I guess all I can do is do my best and keep, I guess, my mindset and my training centred on what my real goals of the season are. So I'd say if I keep on the right track, I'm really hopeful.
BEN WATERWORTH: So what are your goals in general then for the season? Sort of you mentioning that kind of like, what do you have for the season in terms of what you're hoping to achieve?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, so I guess the biggest one for this season for me is obviously Beijing and qualifying and actually competing well there. Going to 2022 specifically has been a goal of mine since I was seven or eight years old. So I always kind of knew that this year was a chance. And then I guess from there, my whole life kind of revolved around the sport as soon as I kind of got reach of the goal. And for the rest of the season, I have high hopes for Junior Worlds this year, as I'm becoming one of the older athletes there. And same old CLC ranking, and just getting high up on the ranking list. And actually, another high goal of mine is to score World Cup points this year. So that means a top 30.
BEN WATERWORTH: What is that feeling like then? You mentioned this has been your dream since you were eight years old, that we are so close, that this is now what it's all been building up for, that this is the last sort of months in which you can qualify for it. Is there like adrenaline, because it's exciting, this is your goal? I mean, is it kind of balancing some nerves? I mean, how are you feeling as we get closer and closer?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: It's honestly a lot of anxiety and actually stress, but I find my ways to cope with it, and I just have to re-centre myself to trust the process, I guess. I try not to think of it as this huge thing to avoid getting in my head, but yeah.
BEN WATERWORTH: What sort of things are you doing then? You mentioned sort of those moments you can have sort of an off season, so like kind of what are you doing to relax? Do you do hobbies? I mean, do you enjoy playing other sports, watching sports, things along those lines?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, honestly, even going, even doing anything for my sport is relaxing and clears my head for me, just because I enjoy it so much. But other than that, on my free time, I basically just cross train and do hobbies like biking, swimming, running, stuff like that. And I find that to be a great way to clear my head.
BEN WATERWORTH: Which I can imagine, with any winter athlete, getting to do any sort of summer sport is kind of fun. You're spending so much time around snow and everything along those lines, so getting a chance to swim in a pool must feel pretty good every now and then.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, definitely.
BEN WATERWORTH: Which is also to a case of even the biking aspect and everything too, because that's a great thing about any winter sport, particularly when you're around mountains so much, the skiing-based ones, is that when there's no snow on them, you can still use them and then getting that biking aspect. And I'm sure biking is probably a very good training aspect, particularly for the cross-country element of Nordic Combined.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, absolutely. I'd say anything that involves endurance is going to help you in the long run. And honestly, cross-training is great to do quite often, actually.
BEN WATERWORTH: Now, for our video audience right now behind you, I mentioned to you Off Air, you've got the great Finnish jersey there, but I also see a series of bibs. So is this something that you like to sort of collect sort of after every competition that you get your bibs and kind of put them on display, the most favourite ones, and the ones behind you? What are those ones that you've got?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: So those are actually all the Youth Olympic ones. And then Finnish jersey is just kind of my old jersey that I used to play with. And honestly, it's just kind of like a memory type thing. And my teammates have said, I mean, based on the way they act, is they kind of grew out of that phase, or I don't know if they ever had that phase, but they're giving away bibs left and right. And whenever I'm asked to give away a bib, I'm like, wait, no, I want this one. It's like, I'm sure I'll grow out of it someday. But for now, I enjoy collecting everything that I compete. And I have all my accreditation and stuff like that from competitions, and I keep those.
BEN WATERWORTH: Is it a sport in which there's bib trading? So if you say, make the Olympics, and then you come across a guy, you're like, oh my god, you're my idol. I want to meet you. I want to swap bibs. Does that happen at all?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Actually, not that I know of. Not bib swapping, just because most events, all the bibs are pretty similar. But I guess the bigger thing is uniform swapping.
BEN WATERWORTH: Right.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah. So like the last day of Youth Olympics, everyone was out in the middle of the field, huddled around, like asking to trade different pieces of clothing and stuff like that.
BEN WATERWORTH: Great. Did you get any cool sort of uniforms? What did you trade for, and what's sort of the favourite one that you might have gotten?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: I actually got a Germany T-shirt from another Nordic Combined athlete. And then I got an Australian quarter zipper, like long sleeve shirt. I actually don't know who that came from. It was kind of a quick exchange.
BEN WATERWORTH: I was going to say that wouldn't have been from a Nordic Combined athlete, so I was going to say what was that from? We've had one Nordic Combined athlete ever in the Olympics back in 1960, so it's been a while. When it comes to, say, watching the hockey at the Olympics, I mean, who are you rooting for? Do you obviously team USA, or are you kind of a bit swayed towards the Finns, just kind of with that history with them?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Honestly, it's on and off. I guess based on whoever is playing better and who, I guess whoever is in the finals, and when it's USA versus Finland, I'd say it's hard to say, but I am rooting for both teams, but I can't say I would root for one over the other.
BEN WATERWORTH: I like that kind of neutrality because I was just about to say, if it comes to gold medal match in Beijing and all of a sudden it's Finland versus USA, you might just have to lock yourself in a room and go, oh, I'm just gonna watch this. I can't tell you who I'm cheering for.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, exactly. I'm sure I'd be happy for whoever won.
BEN WATERWORTH: Well, that would be a unique final actually, because what? USA haven't won gold since 1980. Finland have never won gold, so it would be kind of one of those things where it's like, do I want the drought broken, like Miracle on Ice 2, or do we want Finland to win their first? Because I would know that if Finland was to win gold in hockey at an Olympics, I mean, the country would shut down, wouldn't it? That'd be partying for the next four years.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Absolutely. It's huge there, so I can't even imagine. I probably wouldn't even want to be in Finland for that time.
BEN WATERWORTH: I've seen the footage when Finland won Eurovision. I mean, that was a song contest. It was like when they win a gold medal at the Olympics in hockey. That would be insane. We like to close out with a series of kind of get-to-know-you style questions. These are based on a Team Canada questionnaire they gave their athletes ahead of both Pyeongchang and Rio. I like you did a questionnaire I mentioned before ahead of the Youth Olympics. And I kind of like reading through some of your answers there. The question in which they ask you on a scale of 1 to 10, how behind in school will you be after the Youth Olympics? And you're like, hmm, probably a 4. Did you end up catching up? Was it a 4 or did that number increase more after you got back from Lucerne?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Actually, I was pretty far behind, but I always get behind in season and during competitions, but I'm pretty good at finishing it off. But yeah, I was definitely very far behind.
BEN WATERWORTH: How forgiving are the teachers? You know, just go into a Youth Olympics, might be late on that assignment.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Right. Yeah. I mean, honestly, growing up in a ski town, all the teachers are super, super flexible, just because they know that athletes like me and anyone else who grew up in steamboat have high goals in their sport. And having the reputation of steamboat, I mean, have pretty high chances.
BEN WATERWORTH: I think they're probably a bit used to it based on us.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah. Oh, big time. Almost all my teachers are experienced with athletic students.
BEN WATERWORTH: So that means that the classrooms are always empty because everybody's just somewhere off in the world competing. Two people today, record class numbers.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Not quite, but it's pretty interesting because one of my friends is also an athlete, and when we're gone, it's like we're gone for weeks or months at a time, and then we come back and everyone's like, oh, you were gone.
BEN WATERWORTH: Thanks for missing me. Great to see I'm that good of a friend. First question I'll ask, your favourite ever Olympic moment is?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: As I guess, honestly, just watching the Nordic Combined boys in Vancouver. I mean, obviously, I don't remember that well, like watching it live or anything like that. But just watching replays of that, it's pretty cool to watch. And I mean, that's what inspired me. So probably one of my favourite moments.
BEN WATERWORTH: Fantastic. Your favourite sports team as a kid was?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Probably the Philadelphia Eagles, just because my dad is a huge fan of theirs.
BEN WATERWORTH: Big Eagles. I saw on the questionnaire, the animal you relate to is an eagle. So does that come from that aspect, or is it just, I mean, flying, ski jumping kind of works?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: I'd say it comes more from the whole flying aspect of ski jumping, but it goes well with that.
BEN WATERWORTH: It does. If you could be any superhero, who would you be?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: That's a hard one. I'd probably have to go with the classic Superman. Just does everything and can do everything.
BEN WATERWORTH: You're close to Superman, though. I think anybody who does ski jumping is probably the closest you can be to Superman, right? Because you are flying.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Right, yeah.
BEN WATERWORTH: I'm trying to sell this aspect. I obviously realise with the suits, it's a little bit difficult, but Superman Cape logo Team USA into Beijing could add sort of thing. And then you could just be humming the Superman theme in the air. Because again, you're literally flying. There needs to be some tie-in that DC should be contacting, like US Nordic to get this involved to promote the sport.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, I can't say I disagree. That would be pretty cool.
BEN WATERWORTH: Get Henry Cavill out there to give him a crack and see how he goes on it. That would be Marker's dream. There you go.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Exactly.
BEN WATERWORTH: Your favourite music artists are?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Um, that's hard to say. Um, well, I guess what I listen to the most would probably be like labyrinth, glass animals, and hippie sabotage. But I don't necessarily have favourites. I kind of, I enjoy all genres except for country music.
BEN WATERWORTH: So it's standard, isn't it? If you like country, you can say, I love country, but if it's not, it's somewhere in there. So is it just a case of Spotify, you're scrolling through, like this playlist looks cool, or I'm a little bit into EDM this week, next week I'm going to listen to a bit of R&B, kind of whatever kind of works.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Exactly. Yeah, that's exactly how it is.
BEN WATERWORTH: If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Wow, these are some hard questions. I honestly, my teammates can actually attest to this. I have said that this is the best food I've ever had way too many times to count. So I can honestly say I like almost all foods and I probably would end up. And yeah, I know, I don't know, I would not be able to decide.
BEN WATERWORTH: All the foods basically, just keep on eating. So what's an Olympic, a Youth Olympic food court? Like is there a food hall or is it kind of a little bit more restricted because of the restrictions you were saying? And like, do you allow yourself to go a bit crazy after your competition if there's like a wide selection of food you can eat?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Right, there was, so having a beer in Switzerland, there was a ton of fondue and bread. So I gotta say, I went a little bit overboard on that. But honestly, it was just, it was standard kind of buffet type food, which was very good. And the fondue was a nice touch.
BEN WATERWORTH: Was there plenty of Swiss chocolate as well, I can imagine?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Oh, yeah, big time.
BEN WATERWORTH: Gotta have that. Brilliant. Your favourite place to compete is?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Hmm. Honestly, that one's a hard one because us having two sports, we have two different venues in each country or I guess venue. And I'd say overall, probably Finland or I guess Finland probably has one of my favourite venues. And then I guess my favourite place to be would be Italy or Austria.
BEN WATERWORTH: Great, great. I can imagine the crowds must be insane in some of these parts in Europe where sort of Nordic Combined is one of their national sports. I mean, that must be incredible to compete in, you know, fans like that.
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: Yeah, exactly. Actually, supposedly, Worlds in Germany is usually like crazy, just like tens of thousands of people cheering you on and everything. And obviously, last season, that was impossible. So I didn't really get to experience that. But yeah, excuse nothing, Nordic Combined is definitely way bigger in Europe.
BEN WATERWORTH: Fantastic, fantastic. Well, we're really looking forward to seeing the progress that you have, sort of, and going towards Beijing, and then we're crossing all those fingers and toes that it can happen. And if not Beijing, then Milan and everything, moving forward with how you're going to go. Niklas, before we do let you go, if people want to stay up to date with your journey, follow you, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok. Where can people find you?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: My Instagram. Well, I'm mostly on Instagram and Facebook, I guess, but my Instagram handle is Niklas.Malacinski. And yeah, those are the platforms where you could say updated.
BEN WATERWORTH: Perfect. People check it out. Niklas, it has been a pleasure chatting to you, learning about the great sport of Nordic Combined. I'm trying to sell it more in Australia. I'll do what I can in this part of the world, because seriously, we've had one athlete, as I said, 1960. It's been a long time. And you talk about trying to get people into Nordic Combined in the US. I guarantee you that nobody in this country would know what it is. So we're doing everything we can and we'll make it grow. And then when you're winning gold in Beijing and then Milan and then moving forward, I'll try and find an Aussie that you can thrash at the same time. How does that sound?
NIIKLAS MALACINSKI: That's great to hear. Thanks for having me.
BEN WATERWORTH: A massive thanks there to Niklas for his time learning a lot about the sport. And I'm just so excited to talk about Nordic Combined. I could talk about this sport all day. That and modern pentathlon, you know, are my favourite sports in the Olympics. So bring on the Nordic Combined. And as you know, through previous interviews, Channel 7, CBC, I'm still here. I'm waiting for that call up. Bring me on as a Nordic Combined athlete, liaison or commentator. I can do it, I can learn. So bring it on. That's all I'm saying. But we obviously wish the best to Niklas moving forward and hope to see him in Beijing in just a matter of days time. And in those days, you're gonna be entertained. We've got some great interviews to come. We're gonna be talking more Nordic Combined tomorrow. Get excited for that because I mentioned a certain teammate of Niklas' in that interview. We may be having him on the show tomorrow. So stay tuned for that. Very, very exciting. Got some more great chats in the lead up. And of course, we're inching closer and closer to the opening ceremony. And in the lead up to that, we'll have our full extensive preview episode. Jarrod and Colin will be joining me. We'll be previewing all things to do with the Olympics. And we'll also be doing a special episode just before that preview episode, where we're basically gonna bring you a clip show. We know you love a clip show, but it will be with all the athletes that we've had on the show who are gonna be competing in Beijing. So we're essentially just gonna have a clip show of them talking a little bit about their hopes and aspirations for Beijing, because obviously we've talked to a majority of these athletes during various stages of qualification for the most part. They haven't qualified at the time we've talked to them. So therefore, you're gonna hear a little bit about their hopes and leading into it. And we just wanna focus on the guests that we've had on this show. Something a bit new. We didn't do that in the lead up to Tokyo or Pyeongchang. So this will be something that we'll do a little bit differently for that. And then of course, daily coverage of Beijing, just like we did in Rio, just like we did in Pyeongchang, just like we did in Tokyo. Every single day, we'll have a review. Myself, Colin and Jarrod will come together and we will talk about the day's events, everything that happened. Bring a unique Off The Podium flavour to it and even bring your commentary, just like we did during Tokyo. We're looking forward to doing that. And I'm telling you now, Nordic Combined has to be on that list. We're gonna find a way to commentate it, just somehow. So watch this space. Big thanks again to Niklas. Big thanks to everybody for tuning in to the show. Remember to subscribe on all good podcast platforms as well as hitting yourself on social media to stay up to date with everything related to the show. We always appreciate your support and your feedback as well. We'd love to hear what you think about the show. As always, special shout out to Jason Momoa. My name is Ben, this is Off The Podium. And as always, go left.
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