The most successful volleyball player of Finland, Riikka Lehtonen, will continue her career in the Italian top team Perugia. Contract is for one season. Perugia became the best choise after negotiations with the French team Cannes ended.
- I wanted to go to Italy or France already from the spring so I am happy that my dream came thru.
Perugia has been the best team in Italy from the middle of 2000-century. Long CV includes for example Champions League gold 2006 & 2008, CEV cup gold in 2005 & 2007, Italian championships gold 2005 & 2007 and also Italian cup gold 2005 & 2007. Last season Perugia got Champions League bronze but Italian league went under expectations. Perugia was 6th after regular season and ended the season already in the quarter finals.
- Now the minimum goal is to be 5th and gain the Euro cup place. International games bring always a great extra to the season. It is unfortunate that we will miss it this season, Lehtonen says.
There has been big changes in Perugia because of the last year´s disappointments. From the old foreign players will continue only Ukranian middle blocker Jevgenia Dushkevits. Emanuele Sbano is the coach of Perugia. He was in the past the assistant coach of the Italian national team.
Lehtonen, 30, will start already her 11th season in a row abroad. Perugia is the 4th Italian club for her. Previous clubs were Vicenza (2004-05), Bergamo (2005-06) and Pavia (2008). Last season Lehtonen had a surprising club change before the christams when Greek club Olympiakos hired the hard hand spiker from Paviasta.
Lehtonen has also played in France, Japan, Turkey and Greek. She played this summer beach volley with a young talent Taru Lahti. Cooperation went great. Last weeks Lehtonen has been training with Korson Veto men\'s team. Coach Jouko Lindberg was happy to take Lehtonen to trainings of the men\'s 1st division.
SLEL
Lehtonen got silver from the Greek league
8.5.2009 klo11:54
Riikka Lehtonen ended her season in the Greek Olympiakos with the biggest number of changements during her career. Chaotic season ended to an enourmous disappointment when Olympiakos lost Greek championships against their biggest enemy Panathinaikos.
Panathinaikos wan all three finals clearly 3-0. Fifth gold in a row was wan for them in their home court 25-20, 25-19, 25-20.
- We could have challenged them as individuals but we were never able to build up a solid group.
Pressure to success forced the management of Olympiakos to change their head coach five times.
- With this we propably go to Guinness World Records book. Situation did not calm down in any moment of the season, told Lehtonen.
Lehtonen was really disappointed after finals. Efficiency of the Finnish spiker dropped down more than normal in the desperate situation. In the third final she scored 6 points.
- I\'m physically in a very good condition but you can\'t fight games with one or two players against the team like Panathinaikos. I must be happy that my abdominals, which have disturbed me in the last two years, are now ok and I didn\'t have any problems with them during the season.
Future of Lehtonen is still totally open.
- For sure I will continue my career but don\'t know yet where. Let\'s think about this carefully. *SLEL
Riikka Lehtonen was shining in Greece
26.2.2009 klo11:47
Riikka Lehtonen, the spiker of Olympiakos, played her best match in the Greek league when Olympiacos beat Markopoulos in their home court 3-1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-18, 25-22). Lehtonen scored 32 points.
- I got plenty of balls. It was natural because we have had many injuries and second spiker was this time not so experienced. Trainings have been very difficult because of these injuries, said Lehtonen.
Opponent was leading the fourth set still 21-19 after receiving few gift points from referees but Lehtonen was still able to turn the game for Olympiakos.
- Completeness was good, but couple of attack and reception mistakes I could have not done, Lehtonen thought.
Lehtonen was trasferred to Olympiakos before christmas from Italian Riso Scotti Pavia. She was hired to Greece only to win the championship. Olympiakos wants to finish finally the victorial history of their main opposite Panathinaikos. *SLEL
Lehtonen and Esko selected to the All Stars game
4.12.2008 klo13:40
Brightest stars of the Finnish women\'s volleyball, Riikka Lehtonen and Saara Esko, have been selected to the Italian League AllStars game played in Pavia next Monday. There Italian and European players will face the team of players coming outside of Europe.
Lehtonen will play in the team as an opposite and Esko as a spiker. The coach of the team will be Lehtonen\'s club coach Gianfranco Milano (Pavia).
European team Setters: Stefania Dall\'Igna (Vicenza), Eleonora Lo Bianco (Bergamo), Giulia Rondon (Sassuolo). Middle blockers: Amaranta Fernandez Navarro (Santeramo), Martina Guiggi (Pesaro), Corina Ssuschke (Cesena). Spikers: Saara Esko (Busto Arsizio), Antonella Del Core (Bergamo), Dora Horvath (Pavia), Margareta Anna Kozuch (Novara), Hanka Pachale (Pavia), Francesca Piccinini (Bergamo), Valentina Tirozzi (Vicenza). Opposites: Riikka Lehtonen (Pavia), Carmen Turlea (Sassuolo). Libero: Elke Wijhnoven (Pesaro). Coach: Gianfranco Milano (Pavia).
Riikka Lehtonen goes to Italian league for the next season
4.9.2008 klo13:17
Riikka Lehtonen, born in Kangasala, got many offers during the summer.
The most successful player of Finland was talked into Korea, Russia and Greece with a big money but respected spiker finally chose the safe option from Italy.
Lehtonen, 29, will hit the ball in the Italian A1-league during the next season. New team is Riso Scotti Pavia.
Riso Scotti Pavia finalized their cinderella story last spring when achieving the A1-league place after 13 years.
Lehtonen\'s biggest challenge will be to play complete season after last year\'s difficulties. Lehtonen was struggling with her abdominal muscles during the whole winter when she played in the Turkish Vakifbank Günes Istanbul.
Lehtonen\'s new workplace is situated close to Milan. Many practical things are still demanding actions but the most important thing - contract - is already done.
– I can\'t complain even if Korea and Russia offered bigger accounts. Many other things would have still been so much worse than here in Italy. The level of game would have been lower in Korea and in Russia there would have been huge amount of travelling and numbning hotel life.
Lehtonen knows Italy from the years 2004-2006. First she played one season in Vicenza and after that in Bergamo. Period ended to an Italian championships gold, victory of Italian cup and bronze of Champions League.
After that she went for a year to NEC Tokio in Japan and from there to Istanbul.
Riso Scotti Pavia\'s head coach is 51 years old Gianfranco Milano. Milano has trained in A2-league since 1997 and came to this team for the last season.
The most known player in addition to Lehtonen is German national team player Hanka Pachale, 32.
Team: 1. Pachale Hanka (Germany) 2. Borgogno Chiara 3. Terranova Nadia 4. Bland Angelina (Belgium) 5. Spinato Rossana 6. Mancuso Natascia 7. Vetri Alma 8. Carocci Luna Veronica 9. Lehtonen Riikka (Finland) 10. Horvath Dora (Hungary) 13. Poma Celeste 14. Caroli Sara
Riikka\'s top moments: Champions League gold 2002 & 2003 Champiosn League bronze 2004 & 2006 Challenge Cup gold 2008 Italian championships gold 2006 Italian cup gold 2006 French championships gold 2002, 2003 & 2004 French cup gold 2003 & 2004 Finnish championships gold 1997 & 1999 Finnish cup gold 1996, 1997 & 1998
* Jari Perkiö / www.hotsport.info
Beach Volley: Lehtonen/Pokki and Haavisto/Vahela won in Lahti Pro Tour
27.7.2008 klo20:21
Last tournament of the Finnish Beach volley championships tour, BMW Beach Volley Pro Tour, was played in Lahti and Riikka Lehtonen/Taru Pokki won the women\'s tournament. Toni Vahela/Timo Haavisto were the best of men.
Beginning of the BMW Pro Tour has been success story of junior players but in Lahti Uponor Open seniors had their revenge. All four semi final teams in women have played the championships tour for years. Riikka Lehtonen/Taru Pokki and Annikki Laine/Tia Heimala made their way to the final.
Women\'s final was the the best game in the Finnish beach volley this summer. Riikka Lehtonen/Taru Pokki and Annikki Laine/Tia Heimala showed a level which has not been seen in the tour yet.
Lehtonen played well thru the whole game but Pokki also showed her skills making only two side out errors in the final match. Third place went to sisters Hanna and Riikka Arminen by winning Vilma Väisänen/Pia Tähjänjoki 2-0. Timo Haavisto/Toni Vahela were outstanding in men\'s tournament. They lost only one set in the semi final against Anssi Hakala/Pekka Seppänen.
* SLEL
Riikka Lehtonen got the Challenge Cup
17.3.2008 klo18:52
Volleyball player Riikka Lehtonen was able to celebrate already her third Euro Cup victory. Lehtonen\'s Turkish team Vakifbank Günes Istanbul wan against the tough Italian team, Imola, in the Challenge Cup final 3-2 (17-25, 25-18, 26-28, 25-11, 15-5).
Lehtonen was leading Vakifbank\'s attack game in Bursa and got the award as the best attacker of the final tournament.
- My own game went really well. When important game comes, injuries are forgotten naturally, said Lehtonen.
Lehtonen has got problems with her abdominals during the whole winter but now in the final there was no pain at all.
Lehtonen has wan Champions League twice before.
- Champions League is Champions League but this was the biggest possible victory for this club. Feels really good, Lehtonen was celebrating.
Known opponent gave extra effort for Lehtonen\'s game. Imola is a follower of former Vicenza. Lehtonen played in Vicenza during the season 2004-2005.
*YLE*
5th Final Four tournament for Lehtonen
21.2.2008 klo09:51
Riikka Lehtonen made it to the Final Four tournament of European Cups already for the 5th time.
She has already played four times in the Final Four of Champions League. Hard hitting spiker has won two golds and 2 bronzes from these.
Now Final Four place was guaranteed to the Challenge Cup when Vakifbank defeated Romanian Dynamo Bukarest 3-1 (15-25, 25-19, 25-9, 26-24).
- They had their chances to get us more in trouble but this is great, Lehtonen said.
Fight turned for Vakifbank when Lehtonen came to the court in the middle of the 1st set. Dynamo was then leading 15-7. After that story of the game changed totally.
- My own game was going fine the whole time. Abdominals are again in order, Lehtonen was joying.
Finnish has suffered with her stomach during the season but now problems are solved, just before the most important games and moments of the season.
Vakifbank got the place in Final Four with wins 2-0. Challenge Cup final tournament will be played in Turkey, Bursa, 15.-16.3.
* The Finnish Volleyball Association
Riikka Lehtonen is heading to Final Four
14.2.2008 klo09:41
Riikka Lehtonen is now one step closer to the final tournament of Challenge Cup, when Lehtonen\'s Turkish team Vakifbank Günes Istanbul knocked out Dynamo Bukarest clearly 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-11) in their first quartel final match. Second game will be played next week in Romania.
- We played the second top level match this season. It really came at the right moment, said Lehtonen.
Spiker has got some abdominal problems in the beginning of the season but is now getting better just when the most important games are getting closer.
- Reception was good during the whole match and attack % was 78. It was really nice to play, described lehtonen.
*Finnish Volleyball Association
Riikka Lehtonen & Tanja Eteläaho Finnish beach volley champions 2007
24.8.2007 klo20:22
Tanja Eteläaho & Riikka Lehtonen in women and Anssi Hakala & Toni Kankaanpää in men are Finnish beach volley champions 2007.
Eteläaho & Lehtonen had to play three sets in the final agains Katri Korpisaari & Taru Pokki. Third set went for champions 15-9.
Gold medal was already fifth for Lehtonen: earlier ones came 1997-2000. For Eteläaho the medal was the first. Korpisaari & Pokki got silver just like two summers ago. Bronze went to Anni-Leena Träskbäck & Kati Rinne. Medals were their first ones.
Anssi Hakala & Toni Kankaanpää achieved their first champion in men\'s final. They beat Lauri Hakala & Jaakko Keskitalo also in three sets. Final set 15-10. Medal was already fourth for Lauri Hakala, for Keskitalo it was the first.
Bronze went for Ilari Sivonen & Pasi Hyvärinen who just arrived from the Junior European Championships (under 23 years) where they were ninth. 2006 champions Timo Haavisto & Toni Vahela were now fourth.
MEN Bronze match Haavisto Timo/Vahela Toni - Sivonen Ilari/Hyvärinen Pasi: 23-21, 19-21, 13-15 Gold match Keskitalo Jaakko/Hakala Lauri - Kankaanpää Toni/Hakala Anssi: 21-15, 17-21, 10-15
WOMEN Bronze match Träskbäck Anni-Leena/Rinne Kati - Isomäki Nora/Linnarinne Noora: 21-12, 23-21 Gold match Eteläaho Tanja/Lehtonen Riikka - Korpisaari Katri/Pokki Taru: 15-21, 21-16, 15-9 * hotsport.info
Riikka Lehtonen continues her career in Istanbul
13.8.2007 klo22:21
The most successful volleyball player of Finland, Riikka Lehtonen, continues her career in the Turkish top team Vakisbank Günes Sigorta.
Internationally respected spiker transfers to Istanbul from Japanese NEC (Tokyo).
– I have been tempt to play in Turkey already for many years. When contract terms are in the same level than in Japan, I decided to to come back to Europe, Lehtonen described.
Lehtonen, 28, will have a top team and high level coach in Istanbul. Assistant coach of Brazilian national team, Claudio Pinheiro Lopes, is leading Sigorta. German Silvia Roll, Ukrainian Olena Gasuchka and four national team players of Turkey are also in the team.
Sigorta has played in the Turkish finals during the whole 2000-century except the last season. Then the team was suprisingly left to the 4th position and lost the place in the Champions League. New Challenge Cup will still offer games in Europe.
– I was visiting the organization in Istanbul. I got a very positive picture about everything, says Lehtonen who made a one year contract.
Lehtonen has played abroad since 1999. International career started from France. From there she moved to Italy and again to Japan.
Great career has included many top moments. Riikka\'s best achievements are two Champions League golds, Italian championships gold and Italian Cup gold.
-The Finnish Volleyball Association
Riikka finished her season in Japan
8.5.2007 klo18:50
NEC Redrockets achieved finally the fifth place in the Japanese league. NEC played a brilliant spring season but difficulties during the first round were too heavy. There were now place for the final four even though the team got amazing 10 victories in a row.
Lehtonen\'s season in Japan ended in the Japanese Cup. Cup finals were played as a tournament form and NEC was left outside of semifinals. NEC suffered a tight defeat against the league\'s bronze medal team Pioneer who wan the exciting game 3-2. Fifth set ended 15-13.
- Two players were missing from our normal starting six because their contracts ended already before the Cup final. This was seen on the court, Lehtonen said.
Team from Tokio would like to keep Lehtonen also for the next season and they have already made their offer for the future. Finnish spiker has not yet made up her decision. She is travelling back home to Finland in the following days and hopes that things will be solved soon.
On fire!
26.2.2007 klo18:10
The league goes on quickly and last weekend was almost perfect for our team. We won the serie leader Takefuji 3-1 and Torey 3-0, so we are on fire now and hopefully this same spirit will lead us to the group of best four teams :)
Games have been very good lately. We were already holding the last spot of the league but now we have risen up to the 5th place. During the first round we won only 1 game out of nine, but during the second round, which just finished, we got already 7 out of 9!
My own role has changed from the opposite player to the spiker. I get much more balls now and game has been ok. Winnings and the coming spring are cheering up a lot! Sun feels already warm and the weather has been really nice here in Tokyo especially during my free days! I hope the sun will smile also up north in Sapporo where the Finnish skiing team is fighting for the WC medals :)
Have a nice spring!! - Riikka
New year with new challenges
15.1.2007 klo20:22
The best Finnish female volleyball player, Riikka Lehtonen, has had a tough start of the season this year. NEC Redrockets has lost their five first games in the Japanese league.
Last weekend NEC played at home but the team lost both against Seagull 0-3 (23-25, 14-25, 19-25) and Toray 2-3 (25-17, 19-25, 25-18, 21-25, 13-15).
- There is a lot to do, but we can\'t give up. Forward, says grandmom in the snow, said Riikka.
Lehtonen has got problems with her abdomen muscles but everything looks good now and she was able to play both games. Reception was good, but attack could have been more efficient. Against Toray she made already 23 points.
- Attack game is very quick here and defence work brilliant, described Lehtonen.
*Finnish Broadcasting Company*
Finnish fans can read more about Riikka\'s thoughts and life in Japan from the Finnish volleyball magazine, Kiila (1/2007).
Regards from Japan
03.10.2006 klo15:14
Riikka Lehtonen has lived in Japan now for three weeks. Training with her new team, NEC Volleyball Team, has started fine but also brought some new challenges.
- Girls are really nice but unfortunately they do not speak any English. I suppose I just have to study Japanese so that we can communicate together. I although have a feeler gage with me all the time, from the locker room to the court.
Riikka knew already in advance that teams train hard in Japan and this information was quickly prooved to be true.
- The training rhyhmn has been really tough. Six hours a day, six days per week (09.30-12.30 and 15-18). There is only one free day in a week which I have used for rest this far. It has although been great to come back to the hall again after summer and beach volley season. I am very eager to train and now I even have time to get in shape because World Championships finals will be playd in November and our games start in the beginning of January. I am really waiting for the next season and all those challenges it will bring!
Career continues in Japan
15.09.2006 klo15:39
Riikka Lehtonen will continue her volleyball career in Japan. Lehtonen will travel to her new team, NEC Volleyball Team, to Tokio in September. The contract was made for one season.
- Japan was on my mind already last year, but small problem in my arm prevented then my transfer. I am really happy that this possibility to go was offered to me again.
It is very difficult to get in Japan because teams can have only one foreign player.
Thank You!
31.08.2006 klo15:48
Thank you for all who supported me and Annika during our beach volley summer 2006! Special thanks to SonyEricsson, Smart, Peak and Bolle for the cooperation! Summer is soon over and my trip continues towards new adventures :)
