Jarmo Lehtonen, son of Siiri Rantanen’s good friend Lydia Wideman-Lehtonen, and competitor Hilkka Riihivuori fondly remember the late skiing legend.
Rantanen did not bow down to the gentlemen of the Ski Associations in the 1950s. Rantanen kept women in the spotlight and tried to improve their status.
His greatest sporting achievement came at the 1956 Cortina Olympics, when Rantanen led the Finnish women to a historic relay victory. It was the first and still the only women’s ski relay win from Finland at the Olympics.
Rantanen started at least 10 seconds behind the Soviet Union in the anchor section, but at the finish the difference was 27 seconds in favor of the Finn.
Many times a year we visited either Lydia’s place in Tampere or Siiri’s place in Lahti.
Jarmo remembers very well when Siiri visited Lydia’s home in Tampere.
– Siiri was busy with all sorts of things with Lydia. When he came to us, a major cleaning of the whole house could be started here. The places were put in order. He was still in such good shape that he did all the heavy work himself. Men were not good for her, Jarmo Lehtonen recalls.
Sometimes the two skiers could suddenly decide that the walls of the house should be painted.
– They started pulling the outer wall. They had the momentum going. The neighbor yelled to Siiri that the house will be finished, Lehtonen describes.
The boys will get in shape on a memorable bubble-pop trip to Lapland
Jarmo Lehtonen remembers how exemplary and athletic \”Aitee\” was. Jarmo himself used to ski competitively with his brother when he was younger.
– Siiri could sometimes be critical if he saw that we didn’t do something properly, Jarmo Lehtonen states.
A dome tent was packed on top of the bubble wrap and we left for Lapland. There we met the Ski Sisters, i.e. members of the traditional association of former ski athletes, but there was another kind of experience on the way.
The four of them sped on the fells in Lapland.
– We climbed on top of every fell that came across. It was a challenge for us little boys, as Siiri jogged us a bit at the same time. The day’s training was done when we climbed on top of the fell, Lehtonen laughs.
Something about \”Äitee\” Rantanen’s iconic condition says that he was the fastest in traditional Finlandia skiing in 1976 and 1977, at the age of 52.
According to Lehtonen, it was good if they kept up with Rantanen.
– Yes, in those climbs to the fells, it was probably behind us to get the boys in shape at the same time, Lehtonen recalls warmly.
Siiri Rantanen has also been able to coach Lydia’s grandchild and Jarmo’s son, who at one time completed conscript service at the Sports School in Lahti and also played in the A-Youth Championship in ice hockey.
– He lived in Siiri for a while when he was in the army. Siiri did stretching and fitness circuit training for him every evening. The boy has nice memories of it, the father laughs.
The story from the 90th anniversary tells a lot about \”Mother\”
Lehtonen sums up Rantanen’s character perfectly when he describes Siiri’s 90th birthday party. All the old Skiing Sisters were invited there, including Lydia. Jarmo-poika and Lydia had gone to Lahti a day too early.
– When we tried to go back to Tampere, Siiri announced that Lydia could very well stay with him for the night, Jarmo Lehtonen described.
Lydia was suffering from senile dementia at the time, but it didn’t bother Ranta. \”Mother\” had stated that \”yes, we grown women can manage here, don’t worry\”.
– In Siiri’s opinion, we would all fit in there very well. It was typical Siiri. Any adversity was never a problem. We always went ahead with a brisk mind. So that Lydia stayed at Siiri for the night and everything went well, Lehtonen recalls.
\”She can be raised as a figurehead for equality, Finnish women’s skiing and a new kind of female image\”
– I have a memory of Siiri from the days when I was a young girl. I was 15 when I skied in the under-18 category. That’s when I met Siiri for the first time. I remember when Siiri ran alongside me on the slope and cheered me on. At the finish, he came to tell me that \”you young girl, don’t ski too much, when you already won the European youth championship\ Riihivuori recalled.
Riihivuori was also involved in Ski Sisters. The last meeting between the two of them, which took place on Monday of this week, May Day, has been especially etched in his mind.
– I don’t know what wonderful introduction it was that made me go to greet Siiri. I visited him at the old people’s home when I was visiting Lahti.
– His expression brightened when he recognized Hilka from Tampere. I had photos with me on the trip. He really cheered up when we looked at photos from when we were with the Ski Sisters at his home in the village.
– I am really glad that I visited Siiri. I felt good that I made the trip to Lahti. I could not have imagined that information about Siiri’s death would come so quickly after the visit. I was completely surprised when the information came.
According to Riihivuori, Siiri’s personality was exactly what he was in public.
– He was a genuine person. His perseverance, strength of will and positive personality can be taken as a model. It is an absolute thing that she can be raised as a figurehead for equality, Finnish women’s skiing and a new kind of female image.
Rantanen’s left leg was amputated two years ago. Rantanen was active before the amputation.
– He told me the previous autumn that a hundred years would have passed quite clearly if the leg had not been amputated. He said then that we’ll see how it goes when the leg is amputated.
– Siiri was very fit. He woke up at six o’clock, ate oatmeal and went on a four-kilometer pole-walking run. He still went for a two-kilometer run at two o’clock in the day. He was very active and in good shape, but the amputation of his leg meant that he could no longer go jogging.
*The documentary about Siiri Rantase, Äitee – Sisulla to win, will be shown on TV2 next week, Saturday 13.5 at 17.15 after the Superpesis match. You can watch the documentary right now below or* *Yle Areena.*