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MINNA NIEMINEN
*August 31, 1976 Lappeenranta
Present residence: Imatra
172 cm, 62 kg
Club: Vuoksen Soutajat
Coach: Veikko Sinisalo
Event: Lightweight double sculls
Minna Nieminen was a promising cross-country skier in her junior years. She took up rowing in the late 1990’s and was soon discovered by coach Veikko Sinisalo, who decided to build a lightweight double sculls team. Minna’s first pair was Ilona Hiltunen. After they failed to win a place at the Athens Olympic Games, Minna won bronze in the lightweight single sculls at the World Championships of non-Olympic classes in 2004. In 2005 Minna and her new partner Sanna Stén made their international breakthrough, winning bronze at the World Championships at Gifu, Japan – the first medal for Finnish rowing in Olympic classes since Pertti Karppinen’s days in the 1980’s. Minna holds a degree in commercial studies. Her favourite pastimes are cooking and herbal gardening.
ACHIEVEMENTS
2002 WCh 11th LW double sculls (with Ilona Hiltunen).
2003 WCh 18th LW double sculls (with Ilona Hiltunen).
2004 WCh bronze LW single sculls.
2005 WCh bronze LW double sculls (with Sanna Stén).
2006 WCh 6th LW double sculls (with Sanna Stén).
2007 WCh silver LW double sculls (with Sanna Stén). EurCh silver double sculls (with Sanna Stén).
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SANNA STÉN
* May 20, 1977 Lohja
Present residence: Lohja
171 cm, 63 kg
Club: Helsingin Soutuklubi
Coach: Veikko Sinisalo
Event: Lightweight double sculls
Sanna Stén joined coach Veikko Sinisalo’s lightweight double sculls project in 2003, first as a reserve. Her pairing with Minna Nieminen in 2004 was an immediate success. At the World Championships of 2007 in Munich they won silver and earned their ticket to Beijing. For good measure, later in the same year they took silver in open class at the European Championships, a rare achievement for a lightweight crew. Sanna was also a cross-country skier before moving into rowing. She is a qualified sports instructor. Her favourite pursuits are cycling, aerobics and spending time with her pet rabbit.
ACHIEVEMENTS:
2003 WCh 10th LW single sculls.
2005 WCh bronze LW double sculls (with Minna Nieminen).
2006 WCh 6th LW double sculls (with Minna Nieminen).
2007 WCh silver LW double sculls (with Minna Nieminen). EurCh silver double sculls (with Minna Nieminen).
