Identified Athletes - FIN

This photo went round the world:

In the M1X competition the favourite P.M. Kolbe (GER)

- World champion 1975 - led the field from the start

and looked the sure winner when he was nearly three 

length clear. In the strong headwind however he slowed 

down with 300 m to go, and 100 m before the finish 

line he was overtaken by Pertti Karppinen (FIN). This 

was the first gold medal for the Finn who managed to 

repeat his success in 1980 at OG Moscow and in 1984

at OG Los Angeles (Lake Casitas). The fight between 

Karppinen and Kolbe went on. 1980 Karppinen won

without much opposition as Kolbe could not start 

because of Germany's boycott of the Games. But in

1984 Kolbe saw his chance again. The Olympic M1X 

final then was a dramatic battle. Kolbe sculled in

front of his opponent for 1500 m but again had to

pay tribute to the amazing finish of Karppinen.

Pertti Karppinen won three gold

medal at three Olympic Games:

M1X gold medal at OG Montreal 1976

M1X gold medal at OG Moscow 1980

M1X gold medal at OG Atlanta 1984

 M1X result OG Montreal 1976

1. FIN (Pertti Karppinen)

2. GER (Peter-Michael Kolbe)

3. GDR (Joachim Dreifke)

Kolbe had led Karppinen by eight seconds at half way

but was caught in the final spurt.

               M1X gold medal winner

                  P. Karppinen (FIN)

              M1X gold medal winner

                   P. Karppinen (FIN)

               M1X silver medal winner

                   P.-M. Kolbe (GER)

               M1X silver medal winner

                   P.-M. Kolbe (GER)

       MI SS A 84

          Bernd & Joerg Landvoigt (GDR)

                Pertti Karppinen (FIN)

The photos which were used for the design of

the souvenir sheet show the M2- crew Bernd &

Joerg Landvoigt (GDR), the single sculler Pertti

Karppinen (FIN), and the M4- crew J. Thiele,

A. Decker, S. Semmler & S. Brietzke (GDR). 

They were taken from the book "Spiele der 

XXII. Olympiade Moskau 1980", published by

Sportverlag Berlin (GDR) 1980 (pages 102,

97 and book cover).

      The Olympic rowing regatta 1980 took place

      at Moscow, not at Tallinn where the sailing

      contests were held

       MI SS 155 A

       MI SS 155 B

 Photo from book °Montreal 1976° by H.

Rosendahl, published by Corvus Verlag 1976, page 97

The decisive moment in the M1X final at OG Montreal 1976:

The favourite P. M. Kolbe (GER) in the foreground

is no longer able to defend his leading position against

P. Karppinen (FIN) and has to rest content with the silver medal.