Virpi Kuitunen retains her cross-country skiing World Cup title

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Finland’s Virpi Kuitunen was all smiles as she climbed onto the podium four separate times wearing a different vest each time in connection with the culmination of the Nordic skiing season in Santa Caterina, Italy.
      The fresh World Cup winner found it particularly amusing when the second, Astrid Jacobsen of Norway, and the third Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland quickly swapped their medals after a blunder from the organisers.
      For Kuitunen, the day’s take included a first place in the season’s last World Cup event the 10-kilometre pursuit, the overall World Cup Championship, a first place in the regular distances cup, and a third place in the sprint cup.
      In the concluding race, Kuitunen dashed past Kowalczyk just metres before the finish line.
     
Kuitunen’s smile only started showing signs of fading as her arms began to get tired from repeatedly lifting up the nine-kilo World Cup trophy made out of crystal for the photographers.
      “The lactic acid weighs heavy on my arms”, the 31-year-old champion panted.
      This was the second World Cup victory in a row for Kuitunen.
      When asked to compare the two overall victories, Kuitunen explained that they both were precious, but that last year’s trophy came more easily, as “the whole season worked like a dream and everything fell into place”. This year she has had to fight hard for every single point, as she fell ill no less than four times during the season.
      Since there are no other world or Olympic titles available this year, Kuitunen made winning the World Cup her only goal for the season. “Since I achieved my goal I guess I have to be satisfied. But it is safe to say that this has been a troublesome season.”
     
In yesterday’s pursuit Kuitunen suffered from fairly severe pain in her back, and the champion admitted she did not think she would catch Kowalczyk, who at one point had more than a 20-second lead to the Finn.
      Kuitinen explained, however, that controlling her speed due to the back pain may have helped her to save some energy for the homestretch. “I also got renewed strength from the notion that I might make it into the top three after all.”
      “But the real kicks I got from being the first to cross the finish line, after not knowing ten metres before the winning-post if I could catch Justyna. It was an incredible feeling.”
     
Kuitunen is only the third Finnish cross-country skier to win the World Cup. Before her, Marja-Liisa Hämäläinen (later Kirvesniemi 1982–83 and 1983–84) and Marjo Matikainen (1986–87 and 1987–88) have achieved the same.


Links:
  FIS pages: Virpi Kuitunen
  Virpi Kuitunen (Wikipedia)

Helsingin Sanomat