Kai Virtanen elected Helsinki's Athlete of the Year 2005
12/14/05
Kai Virtanen was elected "Athlete of the Year 2005" in his home town Helsinki, Finland. The 36-year-old righthander is the first bowler to earn the award voted on by the members of the Helsinki Sport Reporter Assosiation.
About one million people of Finland's total five million inhabitants live in or around the capital city of Helsinki.
The 36-year-old righthander is the first bowler to earn the award voted on by the members of the Helsinki Sport Reporter Assosiation.About one million people of Finland's total five million inhabitants live in or around the capital city of Helsinki.
Virtanen won the AMF Bowling World Cup in Singapore in a dramatic final against Norwegian Petter Hansen. He was a member of the Finnish National Team that swept all gold medals in the first Men's European Championships in Russia.
Virtanen took the titles in Singles and the Five-Player Team event. He also won the gold medal in the World Games (pictured) in Germany before an injury ended his winning streak.
"This is a great honor for bowling in a country of motor sport and winter sport" Kai said.Among the winners of the prestiguos award are two-time Formula One World Champion Mika Häkkinen, Olympic and World Champion swimmers Antti Kasvio and Hanna-Maria Seppala, and Marjo Matikainen, a multiple Olympic medalist in cross country skiing.
Finland
Kai Virtanen was elected "Athlete of the Year 2005" in his home town Helsinki, Finland. The 36-year-old righthander is the first bowler to earn the award voted on by the members of the Helsinki Sport Reporter Assosiation.About one million people of Finland's total five million inhabitants live in or around the capital city of Helsinki.
Virtanen won the AMF Bowling World Cup in Singapore in a dramatic final against Norwegian Petter Hansen. He was a member of the Finnish National Team that swept all gold medals in the first Men's European Championships in Russia. Virtanen took the titles in Singles and the Five-Player Team event. He also won the gold medal in the World Games (pictured) in Germany before an injury ended his winning streak.
"This is a great honor for bowling in a country of motor sport and winter sport" Kai said.
Among the winners of the prestiguos award are two-time Formula One World Champion Mika Häkkinen, Olympic and World Champion swimmers Antti Kasvio and Hanna-Maria Seppala, and Marjo Matikainen, a multiple Olympic medalist in cross country skiing.
The 36-year-old righthander is the first bowler to earn the award voted on by the members of the Helsinki Sport Reporter Assosiation.About one million people of Finland's total five million inhabitants live in or around the capital city of Helsinki.
Virtanen won the AMF Bowling World Cup in Singapore in a dramatic final against Norwegian Petter Hansen. He was a member of the Finnish National Team that swept all gold medals in the first Men's European Championships in Russia.
Virtanen took the titles in Singles and the Five-Player Team event. He also won the gold medal in the World Games (pictured) in Germany before an injury ended his winning streak.
"This is a great honor for bowling in a country of motor sport and winter sport" Kai said.Among the winners of the prestiguos award are two-time Formula One World Champion Mika Häkkinen, Olympic and World Champion swimmers Antti Kasvio and Hanna-Maria Seppala, and Marjo Matikainen, a multiple Olympic medalist in cross country skiing.