Sinikka Kukkonen
Encyclopedia
Sinikka Kukkonen (born 1 August 1947, Tervo
) is 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.
in 1970 Kukkonen placed 32nd in the individual event, and participated on the Finnish
relay team
that placed fourth. 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. At the 1974 World Championships
she placed 22nd in the individual, and fifth in the relay
. She won a silver medal
at the 1976 relay
event, together with Outi Borgenström and Liisa Veijalainen
, and placed seventh in the individual contest. She also participated in the 1978 World Championships, where she placed 22nd in the individual contest.
, 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
. 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. 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
. 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.
Tervo
Tervo is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the Northern Savonia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....
) is a Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
orienteering
Orienteering
Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
competitor
Competition
Competition is a contest between individuals, groups, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. It arises whenever two and only two strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. For...
. She is World Champion in both orienteering
Orienteering
Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
and ski orienteering. She became the first World Champion in ski orienteering
World Ski Orienteering Championships
The World Ski Orienteering Championships is the official event to award the titles of World Champions in ski orienteering. The World Championships is organized every odd year. The programme includes Sprint, Middle and Long Distance competitions, and a Relay for both men and women...
, in 1975.
Orienteering career
At the World Orienteering ChampionshipsWorld Orienteering Championships
The World Orienteering Championships were first held in 1966. They were held biennially up to 2003 . Since 2003, competitions have been held annually....
in 1970 Kukkonen placed 32nd in the individual event, and participated on the Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
relay team
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
that placed fourth. She was a member of the Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
winning team at the 1972 World Orienteering Championships, together with team mates Pirjo Seppä
Pirjo Seppä
Pirjo Seppä is a Finnish orienteering competitor and World Champion. She participated on the Finnish winning team in the 1972 World Orienteering Championships...
and Liisa Veijalainen
Liisa Veijalainen
Liisa Veijalainen is a Finnish orienteering competitor. She won the 1976 Individual World Orienteering Championships, and took silver medal 1978 and 1979...
, and placed 25th in the individual contest. At the 1974 World Championships
World Orienteering Championships
The World Orienteering Championships were first held in 1966. They were held biennially up to 2003 . Since 2003, competitions have been held annually....
she placed 22nd in the individual, and fifth in the relay
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
. She won a silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
at the 1976 relay
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
event, together with Outi Borgenström and Liisa Veijalainen
Liisa Veijalainen
Liisa Veijalainen is a Finnish orienteering competitor. She won the 1976 Individual World Orienteering Championships, and took silver medal 1978 and 1979...
, and placed seventh in the individual contest. She also participated in the 1978 World Championships, where she placed 22nd in the individual contest.
Ski orienteering career
Kukkonen participated a the first official World Ski Orienteering ChampionshipsWorld Ski Orienteering Championships
The World Ski Orienteering Championships is the official event to award the titles of World Champions in ski orienteering. The World Championships is organized every odd year. The programme includes Sprint, Middle and Long Distance competitions, and a Relay for both men and women...
, held in Hyvinkää
Hyvinkää
Hyvinkää is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in Uusimaa region, approximately north of the capital Helsinki. The town was chartered in 1960. Hyvinkää belongs to the Province of Southern Finland. The population of Hyvinkää is ....
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, in 1975. At these championships she won a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in the individual event, 46 seconds ahead of Agneta Månsson
Agneta Månsson
Agneta Månsson is a Swedish ski orienteering competitor. At the World Ski Orienteering Championships in 1975 she won a silver medal in the individual contest, behind winner Sinikka Kukkonen, and a silver medal in the relay with the Swedish team .-References:...
from Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. She also won a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in the relay
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
, together with team mates Raili Sallinen
Raili Sallinen
Raili Sallinen is a Finnish ski orienteering competitor. At the World Ski Orienteering Championships in 1975 she won a gold medal with the Finnish relay team, together with Aila Flöjt and Sinikka Kukkonen, and placed fifth in the individual contest....
and Aila Flöjt
Aila Flöjt
Aila Flöjt is a Finnish ski orienteering competitor. At the World Ski Orienteering Championships in 1975 she won a gold medal with the Finnish relay team, together with Raili Sallinen and Sinikka Kukkonen, and placed seventh in the individual contest...
. At the 1977 World Championships
World Orienteering Championships
The World Orienteering Championships were first held in 1966. They were held biennially up to 2003 . Since 2003, competitions have been held annually....
in Velingrad
Velingrad
Velingrad is a town in Pazardzhik Province, Southern Bulgaria, located at the western end of Chepino Valley, part of the Rhodope Mountains. It is the administrative center of the homonymous Velingrad Municipality and one of the most popular Bulgarian balneological resorts...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, she won a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in the relay, with Kaija Halonen
Kaija Halonen
Kaija Halonen is a Finnish ski orienteering competitor. At the World Ski Orienteering Championships in 1977 in Velingrad, Bulgaria, she won a gold medal in the relay, with Aila Flöjt and Sinikka Kukkonen, and placed fourth in the individual contest....
and Aila Flöjt, and a bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
in the individual contest. In 1980 Kukkonen placed fourth in the individual contest, and won a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
with the Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
relay team
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
, together with Mirja Puhakka
Mirja Puhakka
Mirja Puhakka is a Finnish ski-orienteering competitor and world champion. She received an individual gold medal at the World Ski Orienteering Championships in Avesta in 1980, and again in Lavarone in 1984...
and Kaija Silvennoinen
Kaija Silvennoinen
Kaija Silvennoinen is a Finnish ski orienteering competitor. At the World Ski Orienteering Championships in 1980 she won a gold medal with the Finnish relay team, together with Mirja Puhakka and Sinikka Kukkonen, and a silver medal in the individual contest.-See also:Finnish orienteers* List of...
. At the 1982 World Championships
World Orienteering Championships
The World Orienteering Championships were first held in 1966. They were held biennially up to 2003 . Since 2003, competitions have been held annually....
she won a silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
in the relay
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
, together with team mates Sirpa Kukkonen
Sirpa Kukkonen
Sirpa Kukkonen is a Finnish ski-orienteering competitor and World Champion.Kukkonen won a silver medal in the relay, with team mates Sinikka Kukkonen and Mirja Puhakka, and a bronze medal in the individual event at the 1982 World Ski Orienteering Championships.At the 1988 World Championships she...
and Mirja Puhakka
Mirja Puhakka
Mirja Puhakka is a Finnish ski-orienteering competitor and world champion. She received an individual gold medal at the World Ski Orienteering Championships in Avesta in 1980, and again in Lavarone in 1984...
, and she placed shared fourth in the individual contest.