Siitonen's Sports Report, October 2013

FARSPORTS--OCT/2013

"It ain't over 'till it's over."  At least for Teemu Selänne, 43, the greatest Finnish NHL hockey player of all time, who has announced he'll play one more season--his last--for the Anaheim Ducks. His 15-year career in the North American biggies has included playing for Winnepeg, San Jose, and Colorado besides starring for the Ducks.  No Finn in NHL has matched his 675 goals and 765 assists in that span. But there's a promising second generation Selänne who is likely to go places in pro pucksterdom, too. One of Selänne's three sons, Eetu, 15, will be playing this coming season for the Calgary Hitmen's junior division in the Western Hockey League. Eetu had gotten a written bid from the Hitman a year earlier, but the letter had gotten lost in a pile of his Dad's fan mail.  

Finland's Marika Hara snapped up two individual golds in the World Bicycle Orienteering Championships at Rekvere, Estonia. The first was in the middle distance of 8.7 kilometres, and then in the long distance of 35.6 k. Susanna Laurila got a bronze in the middle, and a silver in the longer race.Eeva-Liisa Hakala

silvered in the sprint distance of 5.70K, won by Cecilia Thompson of Sweden. Finland also achieved the gold standard in the women's relay team event with stalwarts Ingrid Stengård, Laurila and Hara. Among the men's bike orienteers former world champ Samuli Saarela was third in the men's middle distance of 11.4K and second in the long. The Finnish men's relay team of Saarela, Pekka Niemi and Jussi Laurila brought home a silver with the gold going to the Czech Republic

Anne Rikola, 36,  had a world kayaking title bronze in the 5000m race at Duisburg and was fourth in her favorite distance of 1000 meters the day before. Six years ago Rikola had silvers in the world kayaking 200 and 500m.  Her last previous world title medal was a bronze again in the 5000m in 2010.

Last issue we promised some results from the World Bowling Championships in Las Vegas. Finland defeated USA in the team championships, 1,183-1,126, with Pertti Jussila, Tony Ranta, Petteri Walonen, Pasi Uotila and Osku Palerma.  Then USA turned the tables in the men's pairs,with John Sczcerbinski and Chris Barnes trimming Palerma and Uotila in the final, 569-473.  Joonas Lehkinen and Petteri Salomaa bronzed. USA's Bill O'Neill was the men's singles champ.

Tero Pitkämäki regained the season's world lead in the javelin with a mighty 89.03 meters while trying for a 90+m at Bad Kostritz, Germany. His PR was of 90.33 was set in his winning world championship throw at Osaka in 2007. The same day Antti Ruuskanen won the Elite Games jav at Tampere with 85.04, and was awarded 10,000 euros for the best athlete in the 2013 Finnish Elite Games series. Also at Tampere, Kenya's Agnes Chesong oudid Sandra Eriksson in the women's 3000m steeplechase, 9:36.33 to 9:40.86. 0ona Kettunen, 19, was third in 9:48.73. Ukraine's Hanna Platinsena outsprinted Finland's pride NooraLotta Neziri in the 100m hurdles, 13.08-13.13. Powerhouse Merja Korpela hurled the hammer for a 68.95m victory. 

At a September Zagreb, Croatia  IAAF track meet, Pitkämäki continued his domination with a winning 86.36, Ruuskanen second with 85.64, and Kenya's up-and-coming Julius Yego third with 84.92. In the Diamond League's final event at Brussels it was Pitkämäki up front again with 87.32, World Champ Vitezslav Vesely of the Czech Republic second with 86.69 and Ruuskanen third with 82.82. 

Next stop was the exciting ancient Finland-Sweden annual dual meet, this year at Stockholm. Again it was one-two Pitkämäki-Ruuskanen in the keihäs, 86.39-85.07, with Swede Kim Amb third with 82,82.  But otherwise, this intense but amicable rivalry did not bring good news to Finland this year as the Swedish men's track and fielders prevailed over the Finns, 235-173. The Svenska flickas beat the Suomen tytöt , 215-195. For most of the past recent years Finnish men have dominated the Swedes, while Swedish women had trounced their neighbors to the east--until last year, at the Olympic Stadium at Helsinki where Finnish dudes lost and Finnish maids won by a close margin.

Just to keep up our spirits, let's look at some of the other Finnish winners this year besides Pitkämäki/Ruuskanen, Pitkämäki/Ruuskanen: Anne Halkivaha, women's 5000m racewalk, 22:49.36/PB; Elina Torro, women's triple jump, 13.64m; Niklas Sandells, men's 1500m run, 3:45.78; Sandra Erikssen, 3000m women's steeple, 9:38.38/NR (old record: Johanna Lehtinen, 9:40.28, 2006); Jukka Keskisalo, men's steeple, 9:05.54; NooraLotta Neziri, women's 100m hurdles, 13.14; Venla Paunonen, 400m women's hurdles, 57.88; Merja Korpela, hammer, 66.31m.

But the most satisfying win of all was the Finnish women's triumph in the women's 4x100m relays in 44.31

seconds, the fastest Finnish time in six years. For this we can thank Maria Räsänen, Hanna-Maarit Latvala, Jonna Bergbom and Tiina Leppäkoski.

With the Winter Olympics coming up, Finland's top women's figure skater Kiira Korpi made some major

moves in her training. After an injury-plagued career she was again in top shape. Korpi switched her training locale to California from Finland and engaged a new coach, Russia's Rafael Arutyunyan, who had trained stars like Michelle Kwan, Mao Asada, and Jeffrey Brittle. The first phase of training was at Lake Arrowhead, to be moved at the end of September to the Olympic-sized rink at tha Artesia Ice Pavilion near LosAngeles.  But, alas, in checking out Finnish sports news on the Web this morning as I was writing this, I read that Kiira had sustained a partial tear in her left achilles tendon. She flew back to Finland to be examined as to the extent of the damage, to see if surgery was warranted.. Participation in a forthcoming meet was cancelled. Her Olympics appearance looks in doubt. Tough luck! We wishe Kiira a quick recovery.