Finnish women do sports
Finnish work on gender equality is founded on the Government Programme and Government´s action plans for gender equality as well as the Sports Act and the policies issued by the Ministry of Education and Culture.
"Spikes Prize(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)" is awarded annually for merits in promoting equality and plurality in sport. The Spikes Equality Award 2016 was handed to the "Coach like a woman" project.
Finnish woman in Olympics
Women first appeared at the games in demonstrations and exhibitions. Finnish Ms Walborg Florström gave an exhibition in diving in London Olympics 1908, first time women appeared at the Olympics in an aquatic event. Two women swimmers, Regina Kari and Tyyne Järvi, competed officially for Finland at the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm in women´s 100 metre freestyle.
Ludowika Jakobsson(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window) was a German-Finnish figure skater. Competing in pair skating with skating partner and husband Walter Jakobsson, she won the gold medal at the 1920 Summer Olympics.
Lahti 2017 Nordic World Ski Championships
The City of Lahti organize the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window) for seventh time between 22nd February and 5th March. No other place has hosted this event so many times. Over the 12 days more than 700 athletes from 60 different countries compete in 21 disciplines.
Finland100 – centenary championships hostess is Marja-Leena Kirvesniemi(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window), former cross country skier with three golds in Nordic World Ski Championships and three gold medal in Olympics. Other successful women in skiing are Siiri Rantanen(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window), Helena Takalo(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window), Hilkka Riihivuori (Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)and Taina Impiö(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window), all of them have gained gold in Lahti Championships.
Sport journalist of the year 2017
Among the four nominees where two women and the winner was Ms Elina Paasonen(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window), a Finnish journalist and photographer.
Unlike 100 years ago, women's participation today in competitive sports is self-explanatory.