Pertti Karppinen
Encyclopedia
Pertti Johannes Karppinen (born February 17, 1953 in Vehmaa
) is a Finnish rower
who is legendary for his three consecutive Olympic
Gold medals in Single Sculls in 1976
, 1980
, and 1984
. He also won World Championships in 1979 and 1985. He once held the world record in indoor rowing. Karppinen's style was to row a steady race and finish with a devastating sprint. In the early portions of the race, he would often trail his rivals by several boat length, only to catch them at the race finish.
Karppinen and great German sculler Peter-Michael Kolbe
had one of the greatest rivalries in the history of the sport. Although, Kolbe has more Olympic and World Championship medals than any other single sculler in history, he never won an Olympic Gold Medal. Twice, in 1976 and 1984, Kolbe had the lead the entire race, only to be passed in the last few meters of the race by Karppinen. Kolbe and Karppinen did not face each other in the 1980 Games
because West Germany chose to boycott the games to protest the Soviet Union
's invasion of Afghanistan
.
Karppinen and Kolbe faced each other one last time at the 1988 Summer Olympics
. Karppinen missed making the finals, but won the consolation race for seventh place. Kolbe again won a silver medal being beaten by prodigy Thomas Lange
. Karppinen would go on to compete in the 1992 Summer Olympics
finishing in tenth place.
Karppinen and Russia
's Vyacheslav Ivanov
are the only men to win gold medals in the single scull at three straight Olympics.
Vehmaa
Vehmaa is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Finland Proper region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
) is a Finnish rower
Sport rowing
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
who is legendary for his three consecutive Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
Gold medals in Single Sculls in 1976
Rowing at the 1976 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal featured races in 14 events, all held at the rowing basin on Île Notre-Dame. Women's events held at 1000 m debuted ....
, 1980
Rowing at the 1980 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1980 Summer Olympics was represented by 14 events. It took place in the Man-made Basin, located at the Trade Unions Olympic Sports Centre . The rowing schedule began on 20 July and ended on 27 July....
, and 1984
Rowing at the 1984 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1984 Summer Olympics featured 14 events in total, for both men and women.Due to the Eastern Bloc boycott of these Olympics, some of the strongest rowing nations like East Germany, the USSR or Bulgaria were not present...
. He also won World Championships in 1979 and 1985. He once held the world record in indoor rowing. Karppinen's style was to row a steady race and finish with a devastating sprint. In the early portions of the race, he would often trail his rivals by several boat length, only to catch them at the race finish.
Karppinen and great German sculler Peter-Michael Kolbe
Peter-Michael Kolbe
Peter-Michael Kolbe is a German rower and is one of the greatest single scullers ever. And, with the possible exception of Australia's Stuart Mackenzie, the greatest to have never won an Olympic Gold Medal...
had one of the greatest rivalries in the history of the sport. Although, Kolbe has more Olympic and World Championship medals than any other single sculler in history, he never won an Olympic Gold Medal. Twice, in 1976 and 1984, Kolbe had the lead the entire race, only to be passed in the last few meters of the race by Karppinen. Kolbe and Karppinen did not face each other in the 1980 Games
Rowing at the 1980 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1980 Summer Olympics was represented by 14 events. It took place in the Man-made Basin, located at the Trade Unions Olympic Sports Centre . The rowing schedule began on 20 July and ended on 27 July....
because West Germany chose to boycott the games to protest the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
's invasion of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
Karppinen and Kolbe faced each other one last time at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
. Karppinen missed making the finals, but won the consolation race for seventh place. Kolbe again won a silver medal being beaten by prodigy Thomas Lange
Thomas Lange
Thomas Lange is a German rower who won two gold and one bronze Olympic medals in the single scull. He was born in Eisleben....
. Karppinen would go on to compete in the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
finishing in tenth place.
Karppinen and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
's Vyacheslav Ivanov
Vyacheslav Nikolayevich Ivanov
Vyacheslav Nikolayevich Ivanov is known to most of the non-Russian speaking world as Vyacheslav Ivanov, was one of the most accomplished rowers of his generation...
are the only men to win gold medals in the single scull at three straight Olympics.
Olympics
- Gold Medal, Single Scull, 1976 Olympic Games
- Gold Medal, Single Scull, 1980 Olympic Games
- Gold Medal, Single Scull, 1984 Olympic Games
- 7th Place, Single Scull, 1988 Olympic Games
- 10th Place, Single Scull, 1992 Olympic Games
World Championships
- Silver Medal, Single Scull, 1977
- Gold Medal, Single Scull, 1979
- Silver Medal, Double Scull, 1981
- Gold Medal, Single Scull, 1985
- Silver Medal, Single Scull, 1986
- Bronze Medal, Single Scull, 1987
- 10th, Single Scull, 1990
- 8th, Double Scull, 1991
See also
- Athletes with Most gold medals in one event at the Olympic Games
Links
- Video of the Olympic Games in 1976
- VIdeo of the Olympic Games in 1980
- Video of the Olympic Games in 1984
- Video of 1985 World Championship, Single Scull (Karppinen First Place)
- Karppinen and Ivanov