Valtter Virtanen

Valtter Virtanen
Virtanen competes at the 2018 European Championships.
Born (1987-06-04) 4 June 1987 (age 36)
Kerava, Finland
Height1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)
Figure skating career
CountryFinland
PartnerTilda Alteryd
CoachMichael Huth, Alina Mayer-Virtanen
Skating clubPeSal Peurunka Skating Academy Laukaa
Began skating1992

Valtter Virtanen (born 4 June 1987) is a Finnish figure skater. He is a three-time Nordic medalist (gold in 2022, silver in 2016, bronze in 2014) and a seven-time Finnish national champion (2013, 2015–2018, 2022-2023). He has competed at a total of sixteen ISU Championships, reaching the final segment on six occasions, at five European and one World Junior Championships. His best ISU Championship placement, 14th, came at the 2023 Europeans in Espoo.

Personal life

Virtanen was born on 4 June 1987 in Kerava, Finland. After completing his studies in late 2015, he became a medical doctor at a hospital in Oberstdorf, Germany. He works part-time in the emergency room of the hospital of Peurunka in Finland.[1]

He married German figure skater Alina Mayer in July 2016.[1] The couple have a daughter, born in January 2021.[2]

In the summer of 2022, responding to an appeal from the Ukrainian Figure Skating Federation, Virtanen and his wife decided to help out Ukrainian figure skater, Kyrylo Marsak, who was no longer able to train in Kyiv due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In doing so, they allowed him to train at their skating club, the Peurunka Skating Academy in Laukaa and Virtanen's wife became Marsak's new coach.[3][4]

Career

Virtanen began skating in 1992 at Keravan Luistinseura.[5] A competitor at three consecutive World Junior Championships, he reached the final segment and finished 20th overall at the 2005 Junior Worlds in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.

He has competed at a total of four World Championships and nine European Championships. He achieved his career-best continental result, 14th, at the 2023 European Championships in Espoo, Finland.

In June 2023, it was announced he was taking up pairs skating and pairing with Tilda Alteryd.[6]

Programs

Virtanen at the 2011 European Championships
Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2022–2023
[7][8]
  • The Other Side of the Sea (Symphonic Tales)
    by HAEVN
    choreo. by Adam Solya
2020–2022
[7][8]
2019–2020
[9]
2018–2019
[10]
  • Milonga de mis amores
    by Pedro Laurenz
    choreo. by Pierre Loup Bouquet
2017–2018
[1]
2016–2017
[11]
2015–2016
[12]
2014–2015
[13]
2013–2014
[14]
  • Alexander
    by Vangelis
2011–2013
[15][16]
  • Kashmir
    by David Garrett
  • Who Wants to Live Forever
    performed by David Garrett
2009–2011
[17][18]
  • Le Jour d'Avant
    by Yann Tiersen
  • Comptine d'un autre été : L'après-midi
    by Yann Tiersen
2008–2009
[19]
2005–2006
[20]
  • Elo 2: Moment of Truth
  • Eye in the Sky
    by Alan Parsons Project
2004–2005
[21]
  • Con Air
    by Mark Mancina, Trevor Rabin
  • The Rock
    by Nick Glennie-Smith, Hans Zimmer
2003–2004
[22]
  • Return to the Centre of the Earth
    by Rick Wakeman

Results

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

2010–2011 to present

International[23]
Event 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14 14–15 15–16 16–17 17–18 18–19 19–20 20–21 21–22 22–23 23–24
Worlds 33rd 35th 32nd 31st
Europeans 33rd 25th 29th 18th 26th 23rd 19th 19th 14th
GP Finland 11th 9th
CS Alpen Trophy 10th
CS Denis Ten Memorial 11th 8th
CS Finlandia 6th 12th WD 12th 19th 17th 19th 14th
CS Golden Spin 25th
CS Lombardia WD 17th
CS Nebelhorn 12th 17th 7th 13th 24th 12th
CS Tallinn Trophy 10th
CS Warsaw Cup 16th 13th 10th
Bavarian Open 6th 13th 8th 3rd 7th 7th 10th 4th 1st 10th
Challenge Cup 7th 9th 3rd 14th WD 10th 10th
Cup of Nice 17th 15th 13th 15th
Cup of Tyrol 3rd 10th 8th 5th
Finlandia Trophy 13th 18th 10th 12th
Golden Bear 4th
Hellmut Seibt 3rd
Ice Challenge 10th
Jégvirág Cup 3rd
Lombardia Trophy 12th
Merano Cup 7th 6th 4th
Nebelhorn Trophy 17th 22nd 19th
Nordics 9th 6th 7th 3rd 2nd 1st
NRW Trophy 14th 14th 14th 11th 5th 7th 5th 4th
Santa Claus Cup 4th
Tallink Hotels Cup 5th 5th 3rd
Tallinn Trophy 2nd 4th
Toruń Cup 7th
Winter Universiade 15th
Volvo Open Cup 5th
National[23]
Finnish Champ. 2nd 6th 1st 2nd 1st 1st 1st 1st 2nd 2nd C 1st 1st 2nd
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew; C = Event cancelled

2002–2003 to 2009–2010

International[23]
Event 02–03 03–04 04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09 09–10
Cup of Nice 12th 19th
Finlandia Trophy 8th 10th 13th 17th
Nepela Memorial 5th 12th 16th
Nordics 4th 5th 5th
Universiade 28th
International: Junior[23]
Junior Worlds 30th 20th 29th
JGP Bulgaria 15th
JGP Germany 14th
JGP Hungary 14th
JGP Poland 16th
Nordics 3rd J 2nd J
National[23]
Finnish Champ. 2nd J 2nd J 1st J 2nd 2nd 3rd 2nd 3rd
J = Junior level

References

  1. ^ a b c "Valtter VIRTANEN: 2017/2018". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 17 January 2018.
  2. ^ Virtanen, Valtter. "Our Princess". Instagram. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  3. ^ Koskiniemi, Emmi (11 August 2022). "Suomessa harjoitteleva ukrainalainen Kyrylo Marsak: "Haluan näyttää parhaani tällä kaudella"". skatingfinland.fi (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 30 September 2022.
  4. ^ Pusa, Ari (7 October 2022). "Ukrainalainen Kyrylo, 17, tiesi Suomesta vain yhden asian paetessaan sotaa – kertoo nyt, pitikö mielikuva paikkansa" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022.
  5. ^ "Valtter Virtanen" (in Finnish). Finnish Figure Skating Association. Archived from the original on 26 February 2017.
  6. ^ @tildaalteyrd (June 13, 2023). "A new chapter begins!" – via Instagram.
  7. ^ a b "Valtter VIRTANEN: 2020/2021". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Valtter VIRTANEN: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Valtter VIRTANEN: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
  10. ^ "Valtter VIRTANEN: 2018/2019". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 18 August 2019.
  11. ^ "Valtter VIRTANEN: 2016/2017". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 29 May 2017.{cite web}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  12. ^ "Valtter VIRTANEN: 2015/2016". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016.{cite web}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  13. ^ "Valtter VIRTANEN: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 28 July 2015.{cite web}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  14. ^ "Valtter VIRTANEN: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 21 June 2014.{cite web}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  15. ^ "Valtter VIRTANEN: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 18 March 2013.{cite web}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  16. ^ "Valtter VIRTANEN: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012.{cite web}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  17. ^ "Valtter VIRTANEN: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 13 March 2011.{cite web}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  18. ^ "Valtter VIRTANEN: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 January 2010.{cite web}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  19. ^ "Valtter VIRTANEN: 2008/2009". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 5 June 2009.{cite web}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  20. ^ "Valtter VIRTANEN: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 23 May 2006.{cite web}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  21. ^ "Valtter VIRTANEN: 2004/2005". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 5 February 2005.{cite web}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. ^ "Valtter VIRTANEN: 2003/2004". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 5 June 2004.{cite web}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  23. ^ a b c d e "Competition Results: Valtter VIRTANEN". International Skating Union.

External links

Media related to Valtter Virtanen at Wikimedia Commons