Matti Raivio

Matti Raivio was the first Finn to win a Nordic Skiing World Championship. In 1926 at Lahti, in his home country, he won both the 30 km and 50 km cross-country. His winning margin of six minutes in the 30 km remained the greatest ever over this distance in World Championships more than 90 years later. In his career, Raivio claimed six Finnish titles between 1920 and 1927. The last one came after a run-off, when he clocked exactly the same time as Martti Lappalainen. At the Lahti Ski Games, he won the 10 km in 1925 and 1927, the 30 km in 1926 and 50 km in 1926-27. At the Kupio Ski Games in 1923, he gained victories in the 30 and 50 km. His sister Aino was also a two-times Finnish Champion in cross-country skiing 1924-25.