Aivar Rehemaa

Aivar Rehemaa ( born September 28, 1982 in Tartu, Estonian SSR then, Soviet Union) is an Estonian cross-country skier. He won in 2002 the first Estonian cross-country skier a gold medal at the Junior World Championships.

Life and career

Life

Rehemaa comes from a cross-country family. His aunt Rutt Rehemaa is a former cross-country skier and mother of the internationally successful cross-country skier Kristina Šmigun - Vähi and the former junior world champion Katrin Šmigun. Rehemaa is trained by his uncle, the two-time Junior World Champion in 1972 in cross-country skiing, Anatoly Šmigun. His older sister Jana was until 2007 active cross-country skier.

In addition to the cross-country skiing Rehemaa also operates active football. He is a striker for FC Otepaeae in the fourth Estonian football league.

In November 2009 Aivar Rehemaa married his longtime girlfriend Annika. The couple live with their son, born in May 2010 and Annika's daughter from his first marriage in the winter Otepaeae.

Career

Following a rather moderate success at the Junior World Championships in 2001 in Karpacz, where his best result was the 36th place 30 km free style, Rehemaa a year later won at the Junior World Championships in Schonach the gold medal in the mass start competition over the distance of 30 km classic. He could solve several kilometers before the finish from the top group, reaching more than 20 seconds ahead of the first goal. It was the first junior title in the men, the an Estonian cross-country skier could achieve. This was previously only his cousins ​​Katrin and Kristina succeeded. About the 10 km freestyle he could not confirm the result. There was only enough for a 27th place.

His first World Cup race Rehemaa denied in February 2001 in the domestic Otepaeae. He finished with 65 participants the 61st place. From the season 2002/ 03 he was regularly used in the World Cup. He succeeded, to record his first World Cup points in January 2003. In the mass start competition in Otepaeae about 30 km classic he reached the target in 27th. Two weeks later, he achieved his 24th place - again, in a mass start competition in the classical technique. These results enabled him to participate in the Nordic World Ski Championships 2003., Where he finished in 19th place in the mass start competition over 30 km classic. In the sprint, which was held in the free technique, he was 41 and in the pursuit competition with 42 of the Estonian season he could fight for eighth place.

In the following years Rehemaas stagnated development and succeeded only rarely to win one or the other World Cup point. Nevertheless, he was nominated for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. There was his best result of the 32nd place on the tracking competition. He took this place also at the Nordic World Ski Championships 2007 classic about 50 kilometers. He, however, was the lowest-ranked Estonian starter. Only in the 2007/ 08 season, stabilized his achievements and he scored regularly results to the 30 or more. At the beginning of the 2008/09 season as he missed 33 in Gällivare 30 km free style just the World Cup points ranking. But to Rehemaa was delighted to receive his best result in the World Cup a week later. In the sprint in Kuusamo, which was held in the classical technique, he made the first leap into the top 20 athletes. With the 18th place of the tall athlete won more World Cup points than he could Walk in his best season 2007/ 08 as a whole. Also competing over 15 km classic he could run in the points again. After a 15th place about 30 km freestyle in La Clusaz has Rehemaa after 4 competitions to earn more points with 42 points, as he previously could win total (31 ) in all years. How much he has improved his performance diverged at the start of the Tour de Ski 2008/2009. The prologue in Oberhof he ran first among the top ten and missed fourth by 0.3 seconds the podium. After constant touring with good finishes, especially in the distance competitions he finished the Tour de Ski in 17th After a long break from competition succeeded Rehemaa Valdidentro at the last World Cup before the Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in eighth place on 15 km his first Top Ten result in the classical technique. At the World Championships in Liberec, however, he could not confirm this result and took over the same distance in defeating his compatriot Andrus Veerpalu only the 39th place. In pursuit competition he showed at the start of the race in front of the field, but lost on the freestyle distance fast connection, finishing in 29th place. In the team sprint, which was held in the classical technique, he reached with Veerpalu the final round, where they finished eighth. This place was taken by the Estonian team in the relay competition. However, during the final 50 km freestyle competition ( mass start ) could Rehemaa after the disappointing results confirm the good shape of the season and held long after the leading group and finished at the end of the tenth.

The good results could not confirm Rehemaa in the season 2009/10. After moderate results he could only fight in Davos about 15 km freestyle than 23 World Cup points. Also in the Tour de Ski as he was able to convince 17 only at Sprint in Prague, but had to quit due to health problems after the competition in Prague the tour. At the World Cup in Otepaeae he reached in the absence of the world's elite with space 19 through 15 km classic his best result in a distance race of the season. The 2010 Olympics in Vancouver were disappointing for Rehemaa. After a 51 place about 15 km freestyle followed the 37th place in the Pursuit competition. With the Estonian season, he finished 14th and last place thus. In the final race over 50 km classic he was 34

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