Sulo Nurmela (13 February 1908 – 13 August 1999) was a Finnish cross-country skier.

He won a gold medal at the 1936 Winter Olympics in the 4 × 10 km relay and served as the Finnish flag bearer at those games.

While traveling to Czechoslovakia to the next world championships he became ill with a high fever and had to withdraw from his individual races.

Yet he felt obliged to compete in the relay, as Finland had sent only four skiers, and there was no substitute.

His first three teammates gained a two-minute lead, and Nurmela managed to finish more than a minute ahead of the competitors and win his third world title.