Marjatta KAJOSMAA

Marjatta Kajosmaa established herself as one of the top female Finnish cross-country skiers in 1968, when she won her first medals, silver in the 5 and 10 km, at the Finnish Championships and was selected to the 1968 Finnish Olympic team. In Grenoble Kajosmaa was fifth at both individual distances and fourth in the relay. Her first international success came in 1969, when she won both the 5 and 10K at the Holmenkollen Ski Festival. She would later repeat this double victory at Holmenkollen in 1972 and 1973, also winning the 10 km at Holmenkollen in 1971, and being awarded the Holmenkollen Medal that year. Kajosmaa won her first international championship medals at the 1970 World Championships, where she won a silver in the 10 km and bronze in the relay. The 1972 Olympics were quite successful for Kajosmaa, as she medaled in all three cross-country skiing events, winning silvers in the 5 km and relay and a bronze in the 10 km. Kajosmaa’s last international medal came at the 1976 Olympics where she again won a silver in the relay. Kajosmaa was selected as the Finnish Female Athlete of the Year for four consecutive years, 1969-72.