The Nordic Phenom, Niklas Anttila, secured his third Finnish National Champion title this last week. We at Discmania congratulate Niklas on this incredible achievement at just 22 years old!
Despite his young age, Niklas proves to be a top competitor in his home nation - if not the very top. Hailing from Kuopio, Finland, Niklas holds this title near and dear to his heart. His passion for his country and the sport of disc golf shine bright!
In celebration of this amazing achievement, Discmania Store Europe has a special commemorative release going live Monday, August 14th at 12:00 PM EEST.
Home of the Phenom
Niklas cut his disc golf chops in his home town at Puijo Discgolf, which he still claims as his home course to this day. Featuring fairways lined with large evergreen trees, views of the surrounding lakes, rolling hills, and even a peak at the Pujio Tower (featured on the Nordic Phenom 2 stamp) - it’s easy to see how Niklas’ heart and love for disc golf is rooted in his hometown.
“Disc Golf is special in Finland. So many people play it as their hobby, profession, and just for fun. And you can see so many young people - it’s crazy!”
Since joining Team Discmania in 2018 Niklas pushed his way through tournaments across Finland, earning prestigious titles in Turku, Tampere, Helsinki, and more. After earning his first Finnish National title in 2020, we knew it was only a matter of time before he spread his wings to international play.
Representing Finland Across the Globe
Last year, in 2022, Niklas made his first appearance in the United States disc golf scene. What a splash he made!
Earning himself multiple top 5 finishes including an absolutely epic battle at 2022 USDGC, it was quickly clear the Nordic Phenom is something special. Though he quickly became comfortable traveling thousands of miles away from home, he always stayed rooted by his fans and passion to represent Finland.
“I feel like I’m always representing Finland while playing disc golf, and it makes me so proud! I want to make Finnish people proud also, and represent Finnish disc golf well.. There are multiple Finns that wish me good luck in every single competition, no matter where it’s played. It’s truly awesome.”
With that pride and passion in mind, coming back home to battle the best players Finland has to offer is an event Niklas looks forward to every year.
Facing Finland’s Best
Compared to traveling thousands of miles and many hours to play internationally, Niklas always welcomes coming home and seeing the growth of Finnish disc golf. Even as a very young professional, he notices the increase of professionalism and competition.“Finnish Nationals gets more and more prestigious year after year. It’s a huge deal in Finland and Europe!”
Indeed Finnish players are becoming more and more commonplace when discussing great players across the world. After three national titles, Niklas looks most forward to seeing the newest top players.
“Since the pandemic we have gained more and more young people involved in the sport. We start to see how they get better and better every year. We have so many promising young players from Finland, I can’t even name just one. I always hope I get to play with a bunch of new players, because that’s the best thing that can happen to our sport.”
The passion Niklas brings to growing the sport through his own efforts, and his love for realizing that growth makes him an amazing ambassador for Finnish disc golf.
Crowning the 3 Time Champion
“Frisbeegolf SM,” AKA Finnish Nationals, is a 4 round battle across huge courses. Measuring 2617 meters (almost 8600 ft.), Mukkula DiscGolfPark’s Championship layout tests players’ skill, power, and endurance.
Despite the incredible challenge, Niklas rose to the occasion in; 2020, 2022, and now in 2023!
“It feels awesome. The Finnish Championship is a prestigious title in Finland and it feels extra good to win it back to back!”
Celebrate With Us!
Don’t miss out on this special Swirl DD3 with commemorative “3-Time Finnish Champion” stamp featuring Niklas’ famous lynx and stamped signature from the Phenom himself. Click here for all the details and to be ready for the drop on Discmania Store Europe on Monday, August 14th at 12:00 PM EEST! Also be on the lookout for special FD coming to European Discmania retailers soon!