Slovanian Janez Slivnik has been named the next head coach of the men’s Finnish Alpine Ski Team. Longtime men’s coach Austrian Christian Leitner will not continue working with Alpine Ski Team Finland.

Slivnik has worked with the Finnish ladies World Cup team for the past three years.

”Slivnik’s choice to the men’s team was an easy decision for us. What he has done with the ladies team has been very impressive. I believe that co-operation with the new head coach and all the athletes will be very fruitful,” said Janne Leskinen General Manager of the Finnish Alpine Ski Team.

Christian Thoma joins the Finnish ladies World Cup team as a new head coach

The 36-year-old Italian Christian Thoma joins the ladies’ Alpine Ski Team Finland after coaching the Italian ladies World Cup Team many years. Thoma brings nine years of Italian World Cup coaching experience to Finnish alpine skiing. New head coach started his coaching career in season 1989/1990 from the Ski College Mals South Tyrol.

“We didn’t want to take any kind of risk with the new head coach and that’s why we decided to hire people who come from the country which have very strong alpine skiing culture. Thoma has already strong coaching experience at the World Cup and I’m very excited what Thoma can give from the Italian alpine skiing culture to us”, Leskinen said.