Sinikka Kukkonen

Sinikka Kukkonen (1 August 1947 – 25 July 2016)[1] was a Finnish orienteering competitor. She is World Champion in both orienteering and ski orienteering. She became the first World Champion in ski orienteering, in 1975.[2]

Sinikka Kukkonen

Personal information
Nationality	Finnish
Born	1 August 1947 Tervo, Finland
Died	25 July 2016 (aged 68) Heinola, Finland
Sport
Sport	Orienteering Ski orienteering
Medal record Representing  Finland Women's orienteering World Championships 1972 Jicin Relay 1976 Aviemore Relay Women's ski-orienteering World Championships 1975 Hyvinkää Individual 1975 Hyvinkää Relay 1977 Velingrad Relay 1980 Avesta Relay 1982 Aigen im Ennstal Relay 1977 Velingrad Individual

Orienteering career

At the World Orienteering Championships in 1970 Kukkonen placed 32nd in the individual event, and participated on the Finnish relay team that placed fourth.[3] She was a member of the Finnish winning team at the 1972 World Orienteering Championships, together with team mates Pirjo Seppä and Liisa Veijalainen, and placed 25th in the individual contest.[4][5] At the 1974 World Championships she placed 22nd in the individual, and fifth in the relay.[6] She won a silver medal at the 1976 relay event, together with Outi Borgenström and Liisa Veijalainen, and placed seventh in the individual contest.[7] She also participated in the 1978 World Championships, where she placed 22nd in the individual contest.[8]

Ski orienteering career

Kukkonen participated at the first official World Ski Orienteering Championships, held in Hyvinkää, Finland, in 1975. At these championships she won a gold medal in the individual event, 46 seconds ahead of Agneta Månsson from Sweden. She also won a gold medal in the relay, together with team mates Raili Sallinen and Aila Flöjt.[2][9] At the 1977 World Championships in Velingrad, Bulgaria, she won a gold medal in the relay, with Kaija Halonen and Aila Flöjt, and a bronze medal in the individual contest.[10] In 1980 Kukkonen placed fourth in the individual contest, and won a gold medal with the Finnish relay team, together with Mirja Puhakka and Kaija Silvennoinen.[11] At the 1982 World Championships she won a silver medal in the relay, together with team mates Sirpa Kukkonen and Mirja Puhakka, and she placed shared fourth in the individual contest.[12]

See also

• Finnish orienteers
• List of orienteers
• List of orienteering events

References

1. "Sinikka Kukkonen on kuollut". Suunnistusliitto (in Finnish). 29 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
2. "ХРОНОЛОГИЯ МИРОВОГО СПОРТИВНОГО ОРИЕНТИРОВАНИЯ. (Период с 1961 года (основание IOF) по 1997 год (100-летие ориентирования))" (in Russian). Retrieved 2 April 2009.
3. "WOC 1970 DDR. Friedrichroda, Democratic Republic of Germany, 27–29 September". International Orienteering Federation. Archived from the original on 17 June 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2009.
4. World Orienteering Championship, senior statistics 1966-2006 Archived 2011-02-22 at WebCite (Retrieved on January 18, 2008)
5. "World Orienteering Championships 1972". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
6. "WOC 1974 DEN. Viborg, Denmark, 20–22 September 1974". International Orienteering Federation. Archived from the original on 17 June 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2009.
7. "World Orienteering Championships 1976". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
8. "World Orienteering Championships 1978". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
9. "SKI-WOC 1975 FIN. Hyvinkää, Finland 1975". International Orienteering Federation. Archived from the original on 17 June 2007. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
10. "SKI-WOC 1977 BUL. Velingrad, Bulgaria 1977". International Orienteering Federation. Archived from the original on 17 June 2007. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
11. "SKI-WOC 1980 SWE. Avesta, Sweden 1980". International Orienteering Federation. Archived from the original on 17 June 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2009.
12. "SKI-WOC 1982 AUT. Aigen/Ennstal, Austria 1982". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 29 March 2009.