Valtter Virtanen

Valtter Virtanen (born 4 June 1987) is a Finnish figure skater. He is a three-time Nordic medalist (gold in 2022, silver in 2016, bronze in 2014) and a seven-time Finnish national champion (2013, 2015–2018, 2022-2023). He has competed at a total of sixteen ISU Championships, reaching the final segment on six occasions, at five European and one World Junior Championships. His best ISU Championship placement, 14th, came at the 2023 Europeans in Espoo.

Personal life
Virtanen was born on 4 June 1987 in Kerava, Finland. After completing his studies in late 2015, he became a medical doctor at a hospital in Oberstdorf, Germany. He works part-time in the emergency room of the hospital of Peurunka in Finland.

He married German figure skater Alina Mayer in July 2016. The couple have a daughter, born in January 2021.

In the summer of 2022, responding to an appeal from the Ukrainian Figure Skating Federation, Virtanen and his wife decided to help out Ukrainian figure skater, Kyrylo Marsak, who was no longer able to train in Kyiv due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In doing so, they allowed him to train at their skating club, the Peurunka Skating Academy in Laukaa and Virtanen's wife became Marsak's new coach.

Career
Virtanen began skating in 1992 at Keravan Luistinseura. A competitor at three consecutive World Junior Championships, he reached the final segment and finished 20th overall at the 2005 Junior Worlds in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.

He has competed at a total of four World Championships and nine European Championships. He achieved his career-best continental result, 14th, at the 2023 European Championships in Espoo, Finland.

In June 2023, it was announced he was taking up pairs skating and pairing with Tilda Alteryd. They ended their partnership and he returned to single skating in the fall of 2023.

Competitive highlights

 * GP – Event of the ISU Grand Prix Series
 * JGP – Event of the ISU Junior Grand Prix Series
 * CS – Event of the ISU Challenger Series
 * C – Event was cancelled