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Andreas Romar
* September 4, 1989 Korsholm190 cm, 91 kg
Present residence: Korsholm
Club: Vasa Skidklubb
Coach: Jan-Erik Romar
Andreas Romar is a name to remember in the future. This became evident at the World Junior Championships of 2009 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, where he won bronze in downhill, first ever Finnish men’s medal at any level in the royal event of Alpine skiing. Andreas’s all-round versatility is something new in Finnish Alpine skiing, which has accustomed to success only in the technical events. His elder sister Tii-Maria is also a member of the Finnish Alpine national team. They are coached by their father Jan-Erik Romar, who is a former Finnish decathlon champion.
Achievements:
2007 WCh SG 48th, AC dnf.
2009 WCh DH 42th , SL dq in qualifying. WJCh DH bronze.
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Marcus Sandell
* September 23, 1987 Espoo177 cm, 83 kg
Present residence: Helsinki
Club: Grankulla IFK
Coach: Christian Leitner
Event: Giant slalom
Marcus Sandell has fond memories of the Olympic slope in Whistler. It was there that he took his first top ten position in a World Cup giant slalom race in February 2008, thus establishing his position as the heir apparent of Kalle Palander in Finnish men’s Alpine skiing. One month later he took his best result so far by finishing eighth in Bormio. Marcus is a giant slalom specialist whose favourite hobbies are football and fly fishing. In September 2009 he suffered a serious crash in training and had a kidney removed. He made a surprisingly rapid recovery, however, just in time to make his Olympic debut at the Vancouver Games.
Achievements:
2007 WCh GS dnf, SL dnf in qualifying. WJCh GS bronze.
2009 WCh GS 16th, SL dnf.
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Sanni Leinonen
* November 8, 1989 Siilinjärvi165 cm, 58 kg
Present residence: Ylöjärvi
Club: Tampereen Slalomseura
Coach: Pasi Martikainen
Events: Slalom, giant slalom
Sanni Leinonen is an experienced ski racer in spite of her young age. She made her debut at the World Cup circuit in February 2006 and took her first top ten placement the following December. In 2009 Sanni placed sixth in slalom at the World Junior Championship and eleventh in slalom at the World Championship in Val d’Isère. The Olympic season has seen her take her best result so far in a World Cup competition, sevent place in slalom in Maribor. Sanni graduated from high school in 2009. Her twin brother Kalle Leinonen is a top name in halfpipe freestyle skiing.
Achievements:
2007 WCh SL 30th, GS 31st.
2009 WCh SL 11th, GS 21st.
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Tanja Poutiainen
* April 6, 1980 Rovaniemi170 cm, 67 kg
Present residence: Rovaniemi
Club: Santa Claus Ski Team
Coach: Janez Slivnik
Events: Slalom, giant slalom
Tanja Poutiainen made history in Turin 2006 by winning Finland’s first Olympic medal in Alpine skiing, silver in giant slalom. Tanja has belonged to the world elite in her sport for more than a decade now. Injuries hampered her early career, though, and it was not until 2004 that she won her first World Cup race on home snow at Levi, Finland. In the early years she was also plagued by bad luck at World Championship, but that has nowadays given way to a series of medals, most recently two bronzes in Val d’Isère in 2009. Tanja was selected Finnish Sportswoman of the Year three times in a row in 2004–06. Tanja studies for a business degree at the University of Lapland. In the summer she plays football for her home town club RoPS Rovaniemi in Finnish women’s third division.
Previous Olympic Games:
1998 SL 18th,GS 26th.
2002 SL dnf, GS 11th.
2006 SL 6th, GS silver.
Other achievements:
1997 WCh SL 17th, GS dnf. WJCh SL gold, SG bronze.
1999 WCh SL 24th, GS 14th. WJCh GS bronze.
2001 WCh SL dnf, GS 13th.
2003 WCh SL 10th, GS 23rd.
2005 WCh SL silver, GS silver.
2007 WCh SL 14th, GS 14th.
2009 WCh SL bronze, GS bronze.
World Cup: 10 wins (5 SL, 5 GS).
Overall champion in slalom and giant slalom 2004/05, in giant slalom 2008/09.
