Virpi Sarasvuo
Country Finland
Full nameVirpi Katriina Sarasvuo
Born (1976-05-20) 20 May 1976
Kangasniemi, Finland
Height174 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Ski clubKangasniemen Kalske
World Cup career
Seasons14 – (1995, 1997–2001, 2003–2010)
Individual wins27
Team wins4
Indiv. podiums52
Team podiums16
Indiv. starts173
Team starts32
Overall titles2 – (2007, 2008)
Discipline titles3 – (2 DI, 1 SP)
Medal record
Women's cross-country skiing
Representing  Finland
International nordic ski competitions
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 0 0 2
World Championships 6 1 1
Total 6 1 3
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place2006 TurinTeam sprint
Bronze medal – third place2010 Vancouver4 × 5 km relay
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2001 Lahti5 km + 5 km
combined pursuit
Gold medal – first place2007 SapporoTeam sprint
Gold medal – first place2007 Sapporo30 km classical
Gold medal – first place2007 Sapporo4 × 5 km relay
Gold medal – first place2009 LiberecTeam sprint
Gold medal – first place2009 Liberec4 × 5 km relay
Silver medal – second place2005 Oberstdorf30 km classical
Bronze medal – third place2007 SapporoIndividual sprint
Disqualified2001 Lahti4 × 5 km relay
Junior World Championships
Bronze medal – third place1995 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.

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. This forced her to relinquish her silver medal earned in the 4 × 5 km and serve a two-year suspension that would not end until the 2003 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[2]

Olympic Games

  • 2 medals – (2 bronze)
 Year   Age   10 km 
 individual 		  15 km 
 skiathlon 		  30 km 
 mass start 		  Sprint   4 × 5 km 
 relay 		  Team 
 sprint 
2006299—DNF57Bronze
201033——139Bronze—

World Championships

  • 8 medals – (6 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
 Year   Age   5 km   10 km   15 km   Pursuit   30 km   Sprint   4 × 5 km 
 relay 		  Team 
 sprint 
19992235———————
200124———GoldCNX[a]—DSQ—
200326———16————
200528—4——Silver55—
200730———DNFGoldBronzeGoldGold
200932—4—13DNF—GoldGold
a. 1 Cancelled due to extremely cold weather.

World Cup

Season titles

  • 5 titles – (2 overall, 2 distance, 1 sprint)
Season
Discipline
2007Overall
Distance
Sprint
2008Overall
Distance

Season standings

 Season   Age  Discipline standings Ski Tour standings
Overall Distance Long Distance Middle Distance Sprint Tour de
Ski		 World Cup
Final
199518NC——————
199720NC—NC————
199821NC—NC————
19992281—NC—79——
20002334—332835——
20012418———NC——
20032623———20——
20042767——4——
20052838——2——
20062967——10——
20073011——11—
20083111——321
20093256——111DNF
2010332221——20DNF28

Individual podiums

  • 27 victories – (21 WC, 6 SWC)
  • 52 podiums – (44 WC, 8 SWC)
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place
12000–0117 December 2000Italy Brusson, Italy1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup3rd
210 February 2001Estonia Otepää, Estonia5 km C IndividualWorld Cup2nd
32002–0311 March 2003Norway Drammen, Norway1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup3rd
42003–0413 December 2003 Switzerland  Davos, Switzerland10 km C IndividualWorld Cup2nd
518 January 2004Czech Republic Nové Město, Czech Republic1.2 km Sprint FWorld Cup2nd
626 February 2004Norway Drammen, Norway1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
77 March 2004Finland Lahti, Finland10 km C IndividualWorld Cup1st
82004–0520 November 2004Sweden Gällivare, Sweden10 km C IndividualWorld Cup3rd
914 December 2004Italy Asiago, Italy1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
1013 February 2005Germany Reit im Winkl, Germany1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
115 March 2005Finland Lahti, Finland1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup3rd
129 March 2005Norway Drammen, Norway1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
1312 March 2005Norway Oslo, Norway30 km C IndividualWorld Cup3rd
1416 March 2005Sweden Göteborg, Sweden1.1 km Sprint FWorld Cup3rd
152005–0619 November 2005Norway Beitostølen, Norway10 km C IndividualWorld Cup2nd
1626 November 2005Finland Rukatunturi, Finland10 km C IndividualWorld Cup2nd
174 February 2006 Switzerland  Davos, Switzerland1.0 km Sprint FWorld Cup2nd
185 February 200610 km C IndividualWorld Cup1st
192006–0725 November 2006Finland Rukatunturi, Finland1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
2026 November 200610 km C IndividualWorld Cup1st
2113 December 2006Italy Cogne, Italy10 km C IndividualWorld Cup1st
2216 December 2006France La Clusaz, France15 km F Mass StartWorld Cup1st
233 January 2007Germany Oberstdorf, Germany10 km C IndividualStage World Cup3rd
245 January 2007Italy Asiago, Italy1.2 km Sprint FStage World Cup1st
256 January 2007Italy Cavalese, Italy15 km C Mass StartStage World Cup1st
2629 December 2006
– 7 January 2007		Czech RepublicGermanyItaly Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
2727 January 2007Estonia Otepää, Estonia10 km C IndividualWorld Cup2nd
2828 January 20071.0 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
293 February 2007 Switzerland  Davos, Switzerland10 km F IndividualWorld Cup1st
3010 March 2007Finland Lahti, Finland1.2 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
3114 March 2007Norway Drammen, Norway1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
3217 March 2007Norway Oslo, Norway30 km C IndividualWorld Cup2nd
3321 March 2007Sweden Stockholm, Sweden1.1 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
342007–088 December 2007 Switzerland  Davos, Switzerland10 km C IndividualWorld Cup1st
3528 December 2007Czech Republic Nové Město, Czech Republic3.3 km C IndividualStage World Cup1st
362 January 200810 km C IndividualStage World Cup2nd
375 January 2008Italy Val di Fiemme, Italy10 km C Mass StartStage World Cup1st
3828 December 2007
– 6 January 2008		Czech RepublicItaly Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup2nd
399 February 2008Estonia Otepää, Estonia10 km C IndividualWorld Cup1st
4010 February 20081.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup3rd
4127 February 2008Sweden Stockholm, Sweden1.1 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
422 March 2008Finland Lahti, Finland10 km C IndividualWorld Cup1st
435 March 2008Norway Drammen, Norway1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
4416 March 2008Italy Bormio, Italy10 km F PursuitWorld Cup1st
452008–0930 November 2008Finland Rukatunturi, Finland10 km C IndividualWorld Cup2nd
4613 December 2008 Switzerland  Davos, Switzerland10 km C IndividualWorld Cup1st
4728 December 2008Germany Oberhof, Germany10 km C PursuitStage World Cup1st
4831 December 2008Czech Republic Nové Město, Czech Republic9 km C IndividualStage World Cup1st
493 January 2009Italy Val di Fiemme, Italy10 km C Mass StartStage World Cup1st
5027 December 2008
– 4 January 2009		GermanyCzech RepublicItaly Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
5124 January 2009Estonia 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. Season Date Location Race Level Place Teammate(s)
12000–0125 November 2000Norway Beitostølen, Norway4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stManninen / Jauho / Varis
216 December 2000Italy Santa Caterina, Italy4 × 3 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rdManninen / Salonen / Jauho
3 2003–04 11 January 2004Estonia Otepää, Estonia4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rdVälimaa / Saarinen / Sarasoja-Lilja
4 2004–05 21 November 2004Sweden Gällivare, Sweden4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2ndVälimaa / Saarinen / Roponen
515 December 2004Italy Asiago, Italy6 × 1.2 km Team Sprint CWorld Cup2ndSaarinen
620 March 2005Sweden Falun, Sweden4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stSaarinen / Välimaa / Roponen
7 2005–06 20 November 2005Norway Beitostølen, Norway4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rdSaarinen / Välimaa / Roponen
815 January 2006Italy Val di Fiemme, Italy4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stSaarinen / Roponen / Varis
9 2006–07 29 October 2006Germany Düsseldorf, Germany6 × 0.8 km Team Sprint FWorld Cup3rdSaarinen
1019 November 2006Sweden Gällivare, Sweden4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rdVälimaa / Roponen / Saarinen
1127 March 2007Sweden Falun, Sweden4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2ndManninen / Roponen / Saarinen
12 2007–08 28 October 2007Germany Düsseldorf, Germany6 × 0.8 km Team Sprint FWorld Cup3rdMuranen
1324 February 2008Sweden Falun, Sweden4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2ndSaarinen / Roponen / Sarasoja-Lilja
14 2008–09 23 November 2008Sweden Gällivare, Sweden4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2ndMuranen / Saarinen / Roponen
157 December 2008France La Clusaz, France4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stMuranen / Roponen / Saarinen
16 2009–10 22 November 2009Norway Beitostølen, Norway4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rdMuranen / Roponen / Saarinen

Overall record

Result Distance Races[a] Sprint Ski
tours		 Individual
events		 Team Events All events
≤ 5 km[b] ≤ 10 km[b] ≤ 15 km[b] ≤ 30 km[b] ≥ 30 km[b] Pursuit[c] Team sprint Relay[d]
1st place1122––28227–229
2nd place16–1––6115–419
3rd place–3–1––6–102416
Podiums22122–22035221064
Top 1052984–1139399516120
Points1055136–22584168616190
Others31[e]3––2[e]11[f]11––11
Starts1356166–24595179616201
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.

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. ↑ "KUITUNEN Virpi". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 21 December 2019.

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