Niklas Jonsson – former skiathlete with a heart that beats for Hemavan Tärnaby

Name Niklas Jonsson
Lives Piteå
Occupation CEO Almi Nord 

Text: Elisabeth Aagård
Photo: Robert Henriksson

I live in Piteå but we have had a holiday home in Hemavan for four years. As I’ve done a lot of skiing in my time, and the whole family, my partner Mirjam and our sons Pål, 17, Ulrik, 12 and André 10 ski a lot, we wanted a mountain home and we fell for Hemavan Tärnaby. It has a lovely, relaxed atmosphere, we felt it as soon as we arrived. When we looked at homes, in the shop, everybody we met was really nice, so that was a big part of the reason. And because we love nature, and everything is so easy to get to. We are there at all times of the year, but we all ski a lot, both cross-country and alpine.  

All the children compete in cross-country skiing and this place, with its top-class training conditions, is fantastic for our oldest son Paul, who is now competing at fairly high levels. We want to be able to ski on snow for longer into the year, and start earlier, so if there hadn’t been such good cross-country opportunities we wouldn’t have bought the apartment in Hemavan. There are very good and long trails in Hemavan that go over the mountain, and in Tärnaby there are good competition tracks. There aren’t that many places in northern Sweden that can offer that variety. 

 Work wise, I’m the CEO of Almi Nord and I cover the Västerbotten and Norrbotten regions. Almi is co-owned by the Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation, Region Norrbotten and Region Västerbotten. We work with the business development and financing of companies. I started working there pretty much by accident. I used to compete myself until 2002, then I did a business degree and worked at a bank. But then a former colleague let me know that this CEO role had come up.  I really enjoy working with regional development and travelling around the entire area. It’s really exciting and interesting visiting all the municipalities and meeting interesting people and companies, especially in these counties that extend from the coast to the mountains.  

We spend a lot of our free time out in nature. I also volunteer as a ski coach for youngsters. Obviously because the children are interested and because I’m passionate about cross-country skiing. And in Hemavan and Tärnaby I love getting out in the tracks in winter. I really like Liaspåret trail, and in fine weather Kobåsspåret is the most beautiful ski trail in Sweden in my opinion. Murtsertoppen peak is also magnificent and has views of Norway. It’s the perfect afternoon tour with touring skis. Generally, the close proximity to everything from where we live is fantastic. Just being able to put on your touring skis and get out in late April or early May. Everything is so close and accessible.