tiistai 17. marraskuuta 2009

"THE FLYING FINN"


Even good snowboarders will not make it onto the Olympic team

Finnish national snowboarding squad needs to learn new tricks


Even good snowboarders will not make it onto the Olympic team
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By Johannes Laitila

In a way the halfpipe guys on Finland’s national snowboarding team have themselves a problem. And then again in a way, they don't.
The thing is, Finland can only enter the maximum of four representatives into the discipline at next February’s Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
And yet there is a significantly larger number of snowboarders with serious Olympic medal aspirations.
"We do not want to reveal details of the selection process, but I can tell that the choosing is not solely based on success in competitions”, explains the national team head coach Pekka Koskela.

“The aerial tricks and the runs have to come off in such a way that there is concrete medal potential. In other words, a mere place in the final is not enough.”
“If someone blows out in some individual competition, but has shown consistency in training, he may still have a chance to make it to the Games. But of course success in competitions also plays a role.”

Koskela speaks at a national snowboarding team press briefing beside a pile of snow next to the Pirkkola ice hall.
As its backdrop the meet-the-press session has pine trees and spruces beautifully lit by the autumn sun, and of course some birch trees as well, with their foliage all blazing yellow in keeping with the season.
So far there is no sign of winter in Helsinki, but the snow created by the hockey arena’s ice maintenance machine already moulds into a decent take-off ramp.
The national team snowboarders Markus Malin and Peetu Piiroinen use the ramp to produce a selection of off-the-cuff exhibition jumps.
In the spirit of the discipline, loud hip-hop music fills the air.

There is always need for training, but especially this season after some of the Americans - in anticipation of having the Olympics on their doorstep - introduced a series of new jumps, such as a double cork spin, at the World Cup opening event in Cardrona, New Zealand.
Torino gold medallist Shaun White (USA) took the eye and the top honours in New Zealand.
“Yeah, we did try them there. Markus and I did not quite master the landings just yet, but we weren't far off”, Piiroinen explains. Malin finished 4th in New Zealand and Piiroinen was 8th.
“The Yanks have been polishing up these jumps all summer, but we have not had that opportunity. Hopefully we will get to try them out in the European competitions”, Koski adds.

In Vancouver, Finland can enter four competitors for the men’s halfpipe event.
At the beginning of November, Antti Autti and Torino bronze medallist Markku Koski will travel to Saas Fee in Switzerland to compete there in a World Cup event and to increase their Olympic chances.
In addition to Malin, Piiroinen, Koski, and Autti, Janne Korpi, Risto Mattila, and Ilkka-Eemeli Laari are also battling for the chance to take part in the Olympic halfpipe.
Meri Peltonen hopes to make it to the women’s halfpipe in Vancouver.
Ilona Ruotsalainen, in turn, is looking for a ticket to ride in the women's parallel giant slalom event. Anton Lindfors aims to compete in the Olympic men’s SBX (Snowboardcross) event
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Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 9.10.2009

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