Virpi Sarasvuo

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Virpi Sarasvuo
Virpi Kuitunen teamsprint final duesseldorf 2006.jpg
CountryFlag of Finland.svg  Finland
Full nameVirpi Katriina Sarasvuo
Born (1976-05-20) 20 May 1976 (age 48)
Kangasniemi, Finland
Height174 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Ski clubKangasniemen Kalske
World Cup career
Seasons14 – (1995, 19972001, 20032010)
Indiv. starts173
Indiv. podiums52
Indiv. wins27
Team starts32
Team podiums16
Team wins4
Overall titles2 – (2007, 2008)
Discipline titles3 – (2 DI, 1 SP)
Medal record
Women's cross-country skiing
Representing Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
International nordic ski competitions
Event1st2nd3rd
Olympic Games 002
World Championships 611
Total613
Olympic Games
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2006 Turin Team sprint
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2010 Vancouver 4 × 5 km relay
World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2001 Lahti 5 km + 5 km
combined pursuit
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2007 Sapporo Team sprint
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2007 Sapporo 30 km classical
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2007 Sapporo 4 × 5 km relay
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2009 Liberec Team sprint
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2009 Liberec 4 × 5 km relay
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2005 Oberstdorf 30 km classical
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg2007 Sapporo Individual sprint
Disqualified 2001 Lahti 4 × 5 km relay
Junior World Championships
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg1995 Gällivare4 × 5 km relay

Virpi Katriina Sarasvuo [1] (née Kuitunen, born 20 May 1976) is a Finnish former cross-country skier who competed from 1995 to 2010. She won a bronze medal in the team sprint event (with Aino-Kaisa Saarinen) at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin and earned her best individual finish of fifth in the individual sprint event in those same games. Four years later in Vancouver, Kuitunen won another bronze, this time in the 4 × 5 km relay. [2]

Contents

Virpi Kuitunen leading the group in the quarterfinals of Tour de Ski, Prague 2007 Virpi Kuitunen at Tour de Ski.jpg
Virpi Kuitunen leading the group in the quarterfinals of Tour de Ski, Prague 2007

Kuitunen has eight medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships with six golds (2001: 5 km + 5 km combined pursuit, 2007: Team sprint, with Riitta-Liisa Roponen, 30 km, & 4 × 5 km; 2009: Team sprint, 4 × 5 km), one silver (2005: 30 km), one bronze (2007: Individual sprint). She also has thirty-four additional individual victories at various levels of various distances since 2000.

Kuitunen won the first ever Tour de Ski competition for women in 2006–07, winning over Norway's Marit Bjørgen by 1:17.5. She also won the overall 2006–07 Cross-Country Skiing World Cup, as well as the sprint World Cup the same season. In the season 2007–08 Kuitunen won the overall again.

Because of Kuitunen's successes in cross-country skiing in 2007, she was awarded Finnish Sportswoman of the Year. Kuitunen also won the Tour de Ski in 2008–09.

Virpi Kuitunen married Jari Sarasvuo on 16 July 2010. [1]

Doping controversy

At the 2001 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Lahti, Kuitunen was disqualified when she tested positive for hydroxyethyl starch, a banned blood plasma expander. She was forced to relinquish her silver medal earned in the 4 × 5 km and served a two-year suspension until the 2003 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS). [3]

Olympic Games

 Year  Age  10 km 
 individual 
 15 km 
 skiathlon 
 30 km 
 mass start 
 Sprint  4 × 5 km 
 relay 
 Team 
 sprint 
2006 29 9 DNF 5 7 Bronze
2010 33 13 9 Bronze

World Championships

 Year  Age  5 km  10 km  15 km  Pursuit  30 km  Sprint  4 × 5 km 
 relay 
 Team 
 sprint 
1999 2235
2001 24GoldCNX [a] DSQ
2003 2616
2005 284Silver 5 5
2007 30 DNFGoldBronzeGoldGold
2009 32 4 13 DNF Gold Gold
a. 1 Cancelled due to extremely cold weather.

World Cup

Season titles

  • 5 titles – (2 overall, 2 distance, 1 sprint)
FIS Crystal Globe.svg Season
Discipline
2007 Overall
Distance
Sprint
2008 Overall
Distance

Season standings

 Season  Age Discipline standingsSki Tour standings
OverallDistanceLong DistanceMiddle DistanceSprintTour de
Ski
World Cup
Final
1995 18NC
1997 20NCNC
1998 21NCNC
1999 2281NC79
2000 2334332835
2001 2418NC
2003 262320
2004 27674
2005 28382
2006 296710
2007 301111
2008 3111321
2009 3256111DNF
2010 33222120DNF28

Individual podiums

  • 27 victories – (21 WC, 6 SWC)
  • 52 podiums – (44 WC, 8 SWC)
No.SeasonDateLocationRaceLevelPlace
1 2000–01 17 December 2000 Flag of Italy.svg Brusson, Italy1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup3rd
210 February 2001 Flag of Estonia.svg Otepää, Estonia5 km C IndividualWorld Cup2nd
3 2002–03 11 March 2003 Flag of Norway.svg Drammen, Norway1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup3rd
4 2003–04 13 December 2003  Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Davos, Switzerland10 km C IndividualWorld Cup2nd
518 January 2004 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Nové Město, Czech Republic1.2 km Sprint FWorld Cup2nd
626 February 2004 Flag of Norway.svg Drammen, Norway1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
77 March 2004 Flag of Finland.svg Lahti, Finland10 km C IndividualWorld Cup1st
8 2004–05 20 November 2004 Flag of Sweden.svg Gällivare, Sweden10 km C IndividualWorld Cup3rd
914 December 2004 Flag of Italy.svg Asiago, Italy1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
1013 February 2005 Flag of Germany.svg Reit im Winkl, Germany1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
115 March 2005 Flag of Finland.svg Lahti, Finland1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup3rd
129 March 2005 Flag of Norway.svg Drammen, Norway1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
1312 March 2005 Flag of Norway.svg Oslo, Norway30 km C IndividualWorld Cup3rd
1416 March 2005 Flag of Sweden.svg Göteborg, Sweden1.1 km Sprint FWorld Cup3rd
15 2005–06 19 November 2005 Flag of Norway.svg Beitostølen, Norway10 km C IndividualWorld Cup2nd
1626 November 2005 Flag of Finland.svg Rukatunturi, Finland10 km C IndividualWorld Cup2nd
174 February 2006  Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Davos, Switzerland1.0 km Sprint FWorld Cup2nd
185 February 200610 km C IndividualWorld Cup1st
19 2006–07 25 November 2006 Flag of Finland.svg Rukatunturi, Finland1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
2026 November 200610 km C IndividualWorld Cup1st
2113 December 2006 Flag of Italy.svg Cogne, Italy10 km C IndividualWorld Cup1st
2216 December 2006 Flag of France.svg La Clusaz, France15 km F Mass StartWorld Cup1st
233 January 2007 Flag of Germany.svg Oberstdorf, Germany10 km C IndividualStage World Cup3rd
245 January 2007 Flag of Italy.svg Asiago, Italy1.2 km Sprint FStage World Cup1st
256 January 2007 Flag of Italy.svg Cavalese, Italy15 km C Mass StartStage World Cup1st
2629 December 2006
– 7 January 2007
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Flag of Germany.svg Flag of Italy.svg Tour de Ski Overall StandingsWorld Cup1st
2727 January 2007 Flag of Estonia.svg Otepää, Estonia10 km C IndividualWorld Cup2nd
2828 January 20071.0 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
293 February 2007  Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Davos, Switzerland10 km F IndividualWorld Cup1st
3010 March 2007 Flag of Finland.svg Lahti, Finland1.2 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
3114 March 2007 Flag of Norway.svg Drammen, Norway1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
3217 March 2007 Flag of Norway.svg Oslo, Norway30 km C IndividualWorld Cup2nd
3321 March 2007 Flag of Sweden.svg Stockholm, Sweden1.1 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
34 2007–08 8 December 2007  Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Davos, Switzerland10 km C IndividualWorld Cup1st
3528 December 2007 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Nové Město, Czech Republic3.3 km C IndividualStage World Cup1st
362 January 200810 km C IndividualStage World Cup2nd
375 January 2008 Flag of Italy.svg Val di Fiemme, Italy10 km C Mass StartStage World Cup1st
3828 December 2007
– 6 January 2008
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Flag of Italy.svg Tour de Ski Overall StandingsWorld Cup2nd
399 February 2008 Flag of Estonia.svg Otepää, Estonia10 km C IndividualWorld Cup1st
4010 February 20081.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup3rd
4127 February 2008 Flag of Sweden.svg Stockholm, Sweden1.1 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
422 March 2008 Flag of Finland.svg Lahti, Finland10 km C IndividualWorld Cup1st
435 March 2008 Flag of Norway.svg Drammen, Norway1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
4416 March 2008 Flag of Italy.svg Bormio, Italy10 km F PursuitWorld Cup1st
45 2008–09 30 November 2008 Flag of Finland.svg Rukatunturi, Finland10 km C IndividualWorld Cup2nd
4613 December 2008  Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Davos, Switzerland10 km C IndividualWorld Cup1st
4728 December 2008 Flag of Germany.svg Oberhof, Germany10 km C PursuitStage World Cup1st
4831 December 2008 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Nové Město, Czech Republic9 km C IndividualStage World Cup1st
493 January 2009 Flag of Italy.svg Val di Fiemme, Italy10 km C Mass StartStage World Cup1st
5027 December 2008
– 4 January 2009
Flag of Germany.svg Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Flag of Italy.svg Tour de Ski Overall StandingsWorld Cup1st
5124 January 2009 Flag of Estonia.svg Otepää, Estonia10 km C IndividualWorld Cup3rd
5225 January 20091.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup3rd

Team podiums

  • 4 victories – (4 RL)
  • 16 podiums – (13 RL, 3 TS)
No.SeasonDateLocationRaceLevelPlaceTeammate(s)
1 2000–01 25 November 2000 Flag of Norway.svg Beitostølen, Norway4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1st Manninen / Jauho / Varis
216 December 2000 Flag of Italy.svg Santa Caterina, Italy4 × 3 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rd Manninen / Salonen / Jauho
3  2003–04  11 January 2004 Flag of Estonia.svg Otepää, Estonia4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rd Välimaa / Saarinen / Sarasoja-Lilja
4  2004–05  21 November 2004 Flag of Sweden.svg Gällivare, Sweden4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2nd Välimaa / Saarinen / Roponen
515 December 2004 Flag of Italy.svg Asiago, Italy6 × 1.2 km Team Sprint CWorld Cup2nd Saarinen
620 March 2005 Flag of Sweden.svg Falun, Sweden4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1st Saarinen / Välimaa / Roponen
7  2005–06  20 November 2005 Flag of Norway.svg Beitostølen, Norway4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rd Saarinen / Välimaa / Roponen
815 January 2006 Flag of Italy.svg Val di Fiemme, Italy4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1st Saarinen / Roponen / Varis
9  2006–07  29 October 2006 Flag of Germany.svg Düsseldorf, Germany6 × 0.8 km Team Sprint FWorld Cup3rd Saarinen
1019 November 2006 Flag of Sweden.svg Gällivare, Sweden4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rd Välimaa / Roponen / Saarinen
1127 March 2007 Flag of Sweden.svg Falun, Sweden4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2nd Manninen / Roponen / Saarinen
12  2007–08  28 October 2007 Flag of Germany.svg Düsseldorf, Germany6 × 0.8 km Team Sprint FWorld Cup3rd Muranen
1324 February 2008 Flag of Sweden.svg Falun, Sweden4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2nd Saarinen / Roponen / Sarasoja-Lilja
14  2008–09  23 November 2008 Flag of Sweden.svg Gällivare, Sweden4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2nd Muranen / Saarinen / Roponen
157 December 2008 Flag of France.svg La Clusaz, France4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1st Muranen / Roponen / Saarinen
16  2009–10  22 November 2009 Flag of Norway.svg Beitostølen, Norway4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rd Muranen / Roponen / Saarinen

Overall record

ResultDistance Races [a] SprintSki
tours
Individual
events
Team EventsAll events
≤ 5 km [b] ≤ 10 km [b] ≤ 15 km [b] ≤ 30 km [b] ≥ 30 km [b] Pursuit [c] Team sprintRelay [d]
1st place112228227229
2nd place1616115419
3rd place316102416
Podiums2212222035221064
Top 10529841139399516120
Points105513622584168616190
Others31 [e] 32 [e] 11 [f] 1111
Starts135616624595179616201
a. 1 Classification is made according to FIS classification.
b. 1 2 3 4 5 Includes individual and mass start races.
c. 1 Includes handicap start, pursuit and double pursuit races.
d. 1 Incomplete due to lack of appropriate sources prior to 2001.
e. 1 2 Did not finish the race (DNF).
f. 1 Withdrawn from 2009–10 Tour de Ski.

Note: Until 1999 World Championships, World Championship races are part of the World Cup. Hence results from 1999 World Championships races are included in the World Cup overall record.

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References

  1. 1 2 "Virpi ja Jari Sarasvuo avioon kokovalkoisissa asuissa". HS.fi (in Finnish). Helsinki: Helsingin Sanomat Oy. 16 July 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  2. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Virpi Kuitunen". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 3 December 2016.
  3. "KUITUNEN Virpi". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 21 December 2019.

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