Virpi Kuituen Aims For Worlds Gold After Shame Of 2001

Virpi Kuitunen can complete her comeback from cross-country ski villain to gold medal heroine for Finland at the world championships. Six years ago Kuitunen was revealed to be among six athletes caught using a forbidden blood volume expander at the home world championships in Lahti. Finnish cross-country skiing was thoroughly disgraced and Kuitunen the only skier of the six who attempted a comeback after serving a two-year ban. There were some raised eyebrows when she returned to action at the 2003 worlds to win a relay silver. Kuitunen said after the race she expected to be confronted with the Lahti shame, but said nothing more than "Many things happen in life." Now, another four years on, Kuitunen is enjoying her best career season at the age of 30. "I enjoy the skiing a lot," says Kuitunen when asked why she has become such a dominant force. Kuitunen boasts six season wins, including the inaugural edition of the demanding Tour de Ski series, for a career total of 10. "She is in a league of her own," admitted German head coach Jochen Behle. A former classic style specialist, Kuitunen is now successful in freestyle races as well. She attributes the improvement to new training methods, with all Finnish World Cup skiers gathering in Vuokatti last summer, pushing each other to new heights and having a good time as well. "We were a smiling team," she said, recalling the pre-season preparations. Now Kuitunen hopes to be all smiles in Sapporo as well, aiming to add world championship silverware to her 30km silver behind Norwegian star Marit Bjoergen from 2005. Bjoergen won three gold, one silver and one bronze two years ago in Oberstdorf, Germany, and a similar haul is realistic for Kuitunen in Sapporo if she is able to conserve her form. Bjoergen, Czech Katerina Neumannova and Estonian double Olympic champion Kristina Smigun are expected to be the big rivals. But Kuitunen could well be on the podium in every race, the sprint, 10km, double pursuit and 30km - possibly also in the team sprint and relay, depending on the class of her team-mates. Kuitunen leads a Finnish team that is the strongest since before the 2001 shame, at least on the women's side. Riita-Liisa Roponen und Aino-Kaisa Saarinen have been on the podium this season. Pirjo Manninen is also a familiar name as the "Arctic Rocket" was the 2001 sprint winner and untainted by the drugs scandal. By John Bagratuni, Dpa © 2007 DPA