Short Finnish news article about this:

http://www.iltasanomat.fi/viihde/uutinen.asp?id=1552699

Mixi

P.S. I just noticed that I have Inbox here… :) Sorry to the people who have emailed and I have completely ignored. Didn’t know about Inbox at all before now…

Thanks Mixi for the news. I’m adding some comment’s here because the blacklist system seems to be deleting all the comments and can’t figure out how to fix it right now.

So yes, wery well done! But just to clarify, 20 is the amount of new students accepted to the Management and Organization major subject in the faculty of Economics and Administration. A total of 273 new students were accepted to the faculty from 4177 who applied. 1335 of those had the Faculty of Economics and Administration as their primary choice. A total of 759 applied to the Management and Organization major subject and for 161 of those it was their primary choice.

List of the ones accepted:
http://www.uta.fi/opiskelu/valinta/valitut.html

Selection statistics:
http://www.uta.fi/opiskelu/valinta/valinta2008.html

The entrance exam (in Finnish):
http://www.uta.fi/tiedekunnat/kaha/opiskelijavalinta.php

Kauppalehti, the leading business daily in Finland, welcomes Kiira to the world of economics:
http://www.kauppalehti.fi/5/i/talous/uutiset/etusivu/uutinen.jsp?oid=2008/07/13007

The assignments for season 2008/09 GP-series have been dealt. All four Finnish ladies recieved the full two assignments, Kiira getting the Canadian and French GP’s. Complete list of assignments for ladies discipline is available here (pdf).

HomeSense Skate Canada International, Oct. 31 – Nov. 2 (Ottawa, Canada)
http://www.skatecanada.ca/en/events_results/events/hssci08.cfm

Trophée Eric Bompard Cachemire, Nov. 13 – 16 (Paris, France)
http://www.eric-bompard.com/trophee_eric_bompard.php

New free skate program for the coming season

Aamulehti chatted with Kiira about her choices for music.

Every spring skaters and their coaches and choreographers go through all the music in the world and make selections for the new programs.

Too often a worn out classic gets selected.

Kiira Korpi doesn’t want to do again something that has been done hundreds of times already. On next season the music of Kerkko Koskinen will have its world premiere on the icy arenas.

Carmens and Nessundormas can rest at ease, on season 2009 Korpi is skating to Koskinen’s “Agatha”.

- I like it very much. It has flow but it’s also edgy. The slow part is playfull and there’s even some oriental rhythms, Korpi characterizes the composition which has been edited for her into four minute form.

In the video Kiira tells that she found the album while browsing the music selection on the plane while flying back home from Japan.

Homepage of Kerkko Koskinen: http://www.kerkkokoskinen.com/
Some samples from the album: http://www.myspace.com/kerkkokoskinenagatha

Cover:

Pictures from inside:

Kiira gets her student cap. Yeah, the tabloid-papers seem to be all over her…

http://www.iltalehti.fi/viihde/200805317730283_vi.shtml

But anyway, congratulations to Kiira and everyone else who graduates. Enjoy the summer while it lasts, the real studies haven’t even begun yet…

Excerpts from Iltalehti’s graduation extra:

Kiira Korpi is aiming for School of Economics

Figure skater Kiira Korpi has a busy summer ahead. First goal for the summer is the entrance exam to the School of Economics in University of Tampere. Burden of the future is eased by a renewed sponsor deal with Valio and matriculation exams that went well.

Kiira, who spent four years in Sampo upper seconday school took the exams in three occasions.
- This spring I took only the exam in English language. Last fall I did math, German and Swedish and on spring before that the Finnish language. The exams went well, with an overall grade of E (second highest grade, read more), Kiira rejoices.
- I was suprised of getting an E from advanced level mathematics. Swedish language was only two points short of L (highest grade), so that was a small disappointment.
For others Kiira recommends the four year study schedule instead of the standard three year if you want to do sports or other demanding things by the side.

Dream job for the future could be something that combines sports and business, Kiira isn’t interested in doing just coaching.
- I’ve always liked school and the so called intellectual side of it. Job could involve developing something. Whether it would be a own business or something else, I don’t know yet.
- I’m not able to study for the exams like some of my friends, who go to the library in the morning and read there the whole day. I study between the training sessions and during the evenings and weekends.
In addition to self-studying she’s attending prep-courses and making use of special web-service.
- It’s not a disaster if I don’t get in on first try, but it would be nice so I wouldn’t have to go trought this phase so many times.

Source: Iltalehti

Excerpts from Ilta-sanomat graduation extra. Pretty much the same content as in Iltalehti’s story, so less text here.

I’ll be missing school

Next saturday Kiira Korpi can put on her student cap and feel deserved pride.
- This means a lot for me, it’s nice to have accomplisments also from somewhere else than sports.

The graduation is celebrated at Korpi’s home through the whole weekend. On saturday friends, skating people and supporters are chiming champagne glasses, and on sunday it’s the relatives turn.
- Luckily Elina Kivioja, who also makes my skating dresses, is making me a dress for the graduation seremony. I just need time to go and get some shoes!

Source: Ilta-sanomat

Update: Video from the interview on Ilta-sanomat web-site

MTV3 sports news had an interview with Kiira, watch the video (short ad in the beginning).

Kiira Korpi seeking for more groove

Figure skater Kiira Korpi has a summer full of work ahead. Plans include a new free skate program and developing more solid jumping technique.

The new free skate program will be something different from the usual.
- Style is jazz-like, music groovy and more up-beat, Korpi says.

In addition to training at home, summer contains camps in Estonia and possibly also in Sweden. Main goal for the next season are the European Championships in Helsinki.

Source: MTV sports news

Kiira Korpi and Laura Lepistö, who btw. is also graduating, appear on the cover of the latest issue of Me Naiset women’s magazine. Trying to get more info on that later.

The upper secondary schools (Finnish “high school”) have begun publishing the names of this springs graduates, and a familiar name can be found from this list by Aamulehti.

Congratulations!

Aamulehti also had a little interview with Kiira:

Final push: After the entrance exams for School of Economics there’s just skating.

Korpi’s matriculation exam included among others tests from two a-level foreign languages and advanced level mathematics. Although the exams went well, combining school with competitive sports hasn’t always been easy.

- It has required discipline, good planning, scheduling, co-operation from school and skating people and ability to adjust.

Love for skating has kept her going. Korpi isn’t spending time in night clubs even if her age would allow it. The fan has had to pass part of the ice hockey world champioships games just because those have aired so late in the night. At the moment she’s studying on a prep-course three times a week. The skater is aiming for Tampere School of Economics and the entrance exams are held in June.

- I find the field of study interesting and my friends and sister have recommended it. I want to focus fully on skating, but studying is a good balance for sport.

Korpi knows that nobody can be a competitive athelete for ever.

- Hopefully in ten years I have a good skating career behind me and a happy work and family life ahead.

Korpi will be celebrating her student cap at home, guests are arriving on both saturday and sunday. After the festivities hard work continues: Korpi’s skating programs are renewed and later in summer she has training camps in Estonia and Sweden.

Source: Aamulehti

http://www.aamulehti.fi/teema/ylioppilaat/85743.shtml

In summary, Team Europe was 2nd place just few points behind Team Japan.
Kiira skated to “Phantom” program with her glittering pink dress
but was not so good at skating - fell once and missed jumps.
You can see detailed results here (pdf file).

At the gala, she skated to “ABBA” program in a dreamy atmosphere
with a little bit different costume than the Euros - a blue (or purple?) shirt
and a pink short pants.

I succeeded to have a short interview with her before the competition.
Just a moment to write the article.

Photo ©Yuko Sudo

Kiira is coming to Japan and she seems to look for something new and inspiring
for her new Free Skating program.

So, if you have some impressions, suggestions, opinions etc. to her FS,
please let me know it with comments here.
Skating elements, choreography, music, costumes… everything will be welcomed.
I’ll manage to tell her or her team about it.

Thanks,

P.S.
When you recommend her such as songs, costumes or elements,
if you know the URL (address) of YouTube (or something like that),
please tell us to help identifying it easily.

Date: Sun. April 20th, 2008
Time: 13:00 (competition) 18:00 (exhibition)
Venue: Saitama Super Arena

Japan Open is an invitational team-competition between Europe, North America and Japan
and Kiira will participate with Sarah Meier, Stephane Lambiel and  Evgeni Plushenko
as a member of Team Europe. See participants.

It’s the third time for Kiira to come to participate Japan Open.

After the competition, a Gala exhibition called “Carnival on Ice” will be held
http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/coi2008/
and all the skaters will perform their exhibition programs.