Introduction speech

Jämin Jänne has been honourably promoting the region of Jämijärvi as well as the ski resort of the Jämi for 40 years already. Besides its aviation tradition, Jämi is well-known as one of the basic areas of the Finnish winter sports. Beside its famous skiers, Jämi is renowned for its panoramic views, which have become greatly appreciated also by other skiers during the past years. An excellent system of tracks is a good proof of active work achieved to guarantee good training conditions.

Sports require serious efforts, which should start in early youth. Constantly increasing competition has introduced into ski a new factor of competition e.g. money. Small clubs have financial difficulties to keep their future stars, which they have brought up, in their local clubs and offer them the same opportunities of success, which are offered by so called big clubs. For that reason, the municipality of Jämijärvi has started sponsoring the Finnish junior champion and medal-winner, Kirsi Välimaa, when she moved to the category of the adult. It is important to support her at the moment when she is facing the most difficult period of her career. She must have the possibility to concentrate on the basic things e.g. training and competitions. Support also facilitates indirectly the situation of the club and gives the opportunity to invest in other youth activities.

Although Jämin Jänne is today considered as a specific ski club, it originally started as a large general club with activities covering various sports. Besides skiing, ski jumping and combined ski jumping, the sports such as athletics, football, weightlifting, gymnastics, volleyball, speed racing, orienteering and fitness training were in its programme. But in the same way as in other sectors of municipal activities, the goal in sports has been the specialization and networking of the clubs. Thus the activities of Jämin Jänne have been concentrating on the current winter sports.

The history of Jämin Jänne is a part of the Finnish history of sports. Besides representatives in the World Champioships and the Olympic Games, the club has ten medallists of Finnish Championships. The names such as Altti and Aaro Alarotu, Raija Viheroja, Virpi Niemi and Hannu Viitala are some of the examples of the successful “nurslings” of the club. Particularly in the 1960’s, the level of the club members was high and their number important.

The history of Jämin Jänne is also an important part of the history of the Jäminjärvi municipality since the municipality is famous for its sportswomen and sportsmen, who constitute an important group promoting the image of the municipality. An active and enterprising sports club provides an incentive and gives a positive image of the whole municipality and the activities of its population.

I believe that the solid work with the juniors and youth of Jämin Jänne guarantee that we will have many reasons to enjoy in the future. People of Jämijärvi are sports-minded, and I have noticed that besides the competitors and the trainers, parents and often the whole family are totally involved in supporting the free time activities of the young. The strength of the sports club of a small municipality actually lies in cooperation.

A municipality is famous for its sports club!

Esa Ala-Karvia

Municipal Manager