Väinö Liikkanen

Väinö Liikkanen ( born November 16, 1903 in Virolahti; † 15 October 1957 Kuusankoski ) was a Finnish cross-country skiers.

Liikkanen, who was a professional forester, was in the 1930's the world's best cross-country skiers. The first race he ran with international participation at the World Cup 1929 in Zakopane, where he was over 50 km of fourth. At the World Championships in Oslo in 1930 he binned over 18 km and 50 km in eighth ninth. Liikkanen qualified for the Olympic Winter Games 1932 in Lake Placid and won the silver medal in the 50 km race there.

In 1933 Liikkanen won over 50 km of his only Finnish championship title. At the World Championships in 1933 in Innsbruck, he won the bronze medal over 50 km, he was fourth in the 18- km run. He celebrated his biggest success at the end of his career when he won at the World Championships 1935 in Vysoke Tatry with the Finnish 4x10 km relay.