Aino-Kaisa Saarinen

Aino Kaisa Saarinen, (born 1 February 1979 in Hollola ) is a Finnish cross-country skier.

On March 29, 2004, she won the Finnish championship in the race over 30 km in classic style. About the same distance in 2005 she was fifth at the Nordic World Ski Championships. On January 15, 2006, she won with the Finnish relay (together with Virpi Kuitunen, Riitta -Liisa Lassila and Kaisa Varis ) the World Cup race in Val di Fiemme.

At the Olympic Winter Games 2006 in Turin, she won the team sprint together with Virpi Kuitunen the bronze medal.

In the Nordic World Ski Championships 2007 in Sapporo they could with the Finnish team (along with Virpi Kuitunen, Riitta -Liisa Roponen and Pirjo Muranen ) the gold medal in the 4 x 5 km relay win. In the same winter, they could also posted her first World Cup victory in the individual for themselves, as they could win the race over 30 km in classic style at Holmenkollen in Oslo on 17 March 2007.

In the Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec Saarinen won her first world title in a single discipline over 10 km in classic style. In addition, they won together with Kuitunen the title in the team sprint. A day later, she won gold with the Finnish relay.

At the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver in 2010 Saarinen won the 30km classic race and together with Kuitunen Muranen and Roponen in the relay race 4 x 5 km bronze medals.

36669
de