The stars in the Clean Win programme are carrying the message of clean sports into playing fields and streets, tatami and swimming pools. Under the leadership of javelin-thrower Tapio Korjus, the collection of stars comprises judoka Jani Kallunki, Nordic combined skier Anssi Koivuranta, figure skater Laura Lepistö, Alpine skier Sanni Leinonen, tennis player Jarkko Nieminen, swimmer Hanna-Maria Seppälä, the women’s national football team and the men’s national floorball team. These stars are examples of how far you can go cleanly. This winter, Laura Lepistö won gold at the European Figure Skating Championships and Anssi Koivuranta took the Nordic Combined Skiing World Cup.
Tapio Korjus
The javelin-throwing captain of the team. When Tapio Korjus throws the javelin, he certainly gets a clean result. Tapio first threw the javelin over 70 metres as an 18 year-old. After that the arcs of his javelin stretched even further – at the Seoul Olympics in 1988 further than anyone else. The exciting competition climaxed when Tapio, as the last thrower, eclipsed all his rivals. The message of this fair and honest javelin hero is also being carried a long way. Tapio emphasises that a clean athlete is always a winner. The captain of the Clean Win programme is challenging his team openly to discuss sporting ethics. He is also a strong defender of all Finnish sporting culture.
Jani Kallunki
The sensei of the team. The tatami trembles and the opponent flies in a fine arc, as Jani Kallunki, the visually-impaired judoka champion from Vantaa beats another competitor. The word judo means the gentle way. Taking the gentle way, however, requires a lot of hard practice, perseverance and talent. Jani has all these. This sports masseur-fitness trainer with a great sense of humour climbed onto the bronze medal podium at both the Athens and Beijing Paralympics. He has also won gold and silver at the European Championships and bronze at the World Championships. His sights are now firmly set on the London Paralympics in 2012. In spite of his disability, Jani clearly sees what clean sports is all about.
Anssi Koivuranta
The golden eagle of the team. Nordic combined skier, Anssi Koivuranta, is much more than just a thoroughbred ski jumper: he is a stately golden eagle. As a ski-jumper, he floats down the hill, but on skis he conquers not only the skies but also the earth and the ski tracks. This double skiing hero is a diverse combination of ‘joie de vivre’, single-mindedness and conscientiousness.
Sanni Leinonen
The snowy summit of the team. Sanni Leinonen is a resourceful master of the mountains. The snow flies when this talented and promising Alpine skier speeds down the slope. Sanni’s life has been pure joy and success since she first hit the slopes at the age of 2½. At first her brothers provided with enough competition, but now this single-minded girl is seriously measuring herself against the world’s best Alpine skiers.
Laura Lepistö
The ice fairy of the team. Laura Lepistö has her feet firmly on the ground – but only outside the ice rink. On skates, this brilliant ice princess combines dazzling pirouettes one after the other, as lightly as a fairy. She radiates a positive attitude. Laura is also known, however, as a determined and great competitor. In January 2009, her dreams came true: she won gold at the European Championships in front of her home crowd.
Jarkko Nieminen
The racquet master of the team. Left-hander, Jarkko Nieminen, has absolute mastery of both a tennis racquet and his opponent. This determined tennis star has blazed his own trail to the top of the tennis world, with complete faith in himself. Jarkko is the highest-ranked Finnish tennis player ever, and the only Finn to have progressed to the last eight of a Grand Slam tournament. This impeccably-mannered tennis professional is renowned for his fair play, both on and off the court.
Hanna-Maria Seppälä
The mermaid of the team. Hanna-Maria Seppälä’s star-crossed tale as a tough swimming competitor and hard-working mermaid began when she was just a little girl. She went to the swimming pool with her big brothers, and could not have been taken to a more suitable place for her. Hanna-Maria trains hard and always gives 110 per cent. Her conscientious training hit the jackpot at the World Championships in Barcelona in 2003. There she won gold in the 100-metres freestyle and beat all-comers in the heats, the semi-final and the final. In the hunt for medals at the London Olympics in 2012, Hanna-Maria is a model of fair play.
Women’s National Football Team
The queens of the team. Great athletes and a wonderful team spirit – it can only be the Finnish women’s national football team. These women really have the ball under control. This dynamic group is packed with skilful individuals, who combine to do their best and fight for gold and glory under the management of coach, Michael Käld. In 2009, this passionate, energetic team will contest the Women’s European Championships on home soil.
Men’s National Floorball Team
The firework experts of the team. The Finnish men’s national floorball team takes great pleasure in firing the ball into the opposition’s goal like a rocket. This energetic group has as much energy as a power station, but the constant companion of these players is insatiable hunger – hunger for goals! This dynamic team is also renowned for its wonderful team spirit.
