Snowboarder Piiroinen wins Finland first medal in Vancouver

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Snowboarder Peetu Piiroinen has taken Finland's long-awaited first medal in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Piiroinen secured the silver in the men's halfpipe behind the reigning Olympic Champion Shaun White of the United States.
     
”Incredible feeling. I didn’t think I would earn so many points (from the second run), although it was better than my first effort”, Piiroinen said.
      “I am not sure how we are going to celebrate this. I should probably go out or something. Already on the 20th I will travel to a Big Air competition in Japan.”
     
In the final Piiroinen displayed nerves of steel. Fourth after the first run, the native of Hyvinkää in Southern Finland came back with a performance that elevated him to the second spot.
     Scott Lago was unable to secure a 1-2 finish for the team USA and had to settle for the bronze medal instead.
     
In Piiroinen’s case it is justified to say that he “won” the silver medal, for the now two-time Olympic Champion Shaun White is head and shoulders above the rest of the field.
      White’s tricks in the halfpipe - including the gravity-defying Double McTwist 1260 that he has invented - were in the league of their own.
      White, whose second effort earned him 48.4 points against Piiroinen’s 45.0 points, would have won the gold medal based on his first run (46.8) alone.
     “I had no chance of beating White. He is just too good”, Piiroinen acknowledged. “Right now no-one can beat him.”
     
The other two Finns in the final, Markku Koski and Markus Malin, finished 6th and 11th, respectively.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Peetu Piiroinen wins Snowboarding Big Air World Cup (12.2.2007)

Links:
  Swatch TTR World Snowboarding Tour: Peetu Piiroinen

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