Hannu-Pekka Hänninen
Encyclopedia
Hannu-Pekka "Hoopi" Hänninen (born 27 July 1952, Helsinki
, Finland
) is a Finnish sports commentator who works for Finland's National Broadcasting Company YLE. He works both as the real-time play-by-play commentator and the sporstreader in YLE's sports news Urheiluruutu
. His career as a sportscaster started in 1977. Before that he had a short spell in entertainment staff in radio
. He has telecommunications mechanic's education.
Hänninen is known as a multi-skilled sportscaster who can commentate on almost every sport
. Nowadays he usually commentates only football, ski jumping
and Nordic combined
. In the 1990s he also commentated very much on athletics
, usually with Kari Hiltunen. Among others he commentated the Kimmo Kinnunen
's World Championship winning javelin throw in 1991 Tokyo
, Sari Essayah
's World Championship winning 10 km walk in 1993 Stuttgart
and Aki Parviainen
's World Championship winning javelin throw in 1999 Sevilla
. He has also commentated on every Olympic Games
in television since 1984 Los Angeles
. One of his main moments in Olympic games is the commentation of Matti Nykänen
's gold winning jump in the 1988 Winter Olympics
in Calgary
. He has also been the main commentator of swimming
in YLE for long time.
"Hoopi" has also been one of the main commentators in Football World Cup and European Championships
since 1986 Mexico
, but actually had his first football World Cup commentation almost ten years earlier in Argentina 1978
, when he commentated couple of the first round matches from the studio in Pasila
, Helsinki, because the main commentators Anssi Kukkonen and Pentti Salmi were unable to do so because of the number of games and traveling. The greatest moments of his football commentating careers among others are the Euro 92
final in Sweden
and the 2002 FIFA World Cup
final. He is the main football commentator in YLE together with Tapio Suominen.
Like many other sportcasters, Hoopi also strictly divides the people's opinions. Many people think that he is confident and decorous but he has also been the target for strong criticism because he sometimes does not seem to be very sharp and keen and does not notice what happens on the field, and also because sometimes he concentrates on things that are not the most important. His often put his soul into the events on ski jumping venue or football field passionately but same time does not forget the professional element. He had also made a splash in his workplace YLE. In 1999, when Hoopi heard that his colleague Antero Mertaranta
had left YLE, he opened a pink sparkling wine bottle to celebrate that. There have been rumours that behind this are strong ambitions that taking root from 1995 Ice Hockey World Championships. Finland won its first and only gold medal, but Hänninen was the second-choice commentator after Mertaranta, who commentated passionately his way into the hearts of Finnish people.
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
) is a Finnish sports commentator who works for Finland's National Broadcasting Company YLE. He works both as the real-time play-by-play commentator and the sporstreader in YLE's sports news Urheiluruutu
Urheiluruutu
Urheiluruutu is a daily sport news television programme in Finland's National Broadcasting Company YLE.The programme originally launched on August 18, 1962. The sportsreader was Anssi Kukkonen and the programme was gathered up by Seppo Kannas. Kukkonen is also the father of the name Urheiluruutu ...
. His career as a sportscaster started in 1977. Before that he had a short spell in entertainment staff in radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
. He has telecommunications mechanic's education.
Hänninen is known as a multi-skilled sportscaster who can commentate on almost every sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
. Nowadays he usually commentates only football, ski jumping
Ski jumping
Ski jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...
and Nordic combined
Nordic combined
The Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in both cross-country skiing and ski jumping.- History :While Norwegian soldiers are known to have been competing in Nordic skiing since the 19th century, the first major competition in Nordic combined was held in 1892 in Oslo at the...
. In the 1990s he also commentated very much on athletics
Athletics (track and field)
Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
, usually with Kari Hiltunen. Among others he commentated the Kimmo Kinnunen
Kimmo Kinnunen
Kimmo Kinnunen is a former Finnish javelin thrower. He won gold at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo and silver at the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart....
's World Championship winning javelin throw in 1991 Tokyo
1991 World Championships in Athletics
The 3rd World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held in the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan between August 23 and September 1 and athletes from 167 countries participated in the event.The event is best-remembered for the...
, Sari Essayah
Sari Essayah
Sari Miriam Essayah is a Finnish retired race walker and a politician, Member of the European Parliament since 2009. Her father is from Morocco....
's World Championship winning 10 km walk in 1993 Stuttgart
1993 World Championships in Athletics
The 4th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held in the Gottlieb Daimler Stadium, Stuttgart, Germany between August 13 and August 22 with the participation of 187 nations....
and Aki Parviainen
Aki Parviainen
Aki Uolevi Parviainen is a Finnish Javelin thrower, who won the gold medal at the 1999 World Championships in Athletics and a silver medal at the 2001 World Championships. His best throw is 93.09 in 1999. His best Olympic placing is 5th in 2000...
's World Championship winning javelin throw in 1999 Sevilla
1999 World Championships in Athletics
The 7th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Estadio Olímpico, Seville, Spain, between the August 20 and August 29....
. He has also commentated on every Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in television since 1984 Los Angeles
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
. One of his main moments in Olympic games is the commentation of Matti Nykänen
Matti Nykänen
Matti Ensio Nykänen is a Finnish former ski jumper who won five Olympic medals , nine World Championships medals and 22 Finnish Championships medals . Most notably, Nykänen won three gold medals at the 1988 Winter Olympics, becoming, along with Yvonne van Gennip of the Netherlands, the most...
's gold winning jump in the 1988 Winter Olympics
1988 Winter Olympics
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
. He has also been the main commentator of swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
in YLE for long time.
"Hoopi" has also been one of the main commentators in Football World Cup and European Championships
UEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
since 1986 Mexico
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
, but actually had his first football World Cup commentation almost ten years earlier in Argentina 1978
1978 FIFA World Cup
The 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Argentina between 1 June and 25 June. The 1978 World Cup was won by Argentina who beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the final. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth...
, when he commentated couple of the first round matches from the studio in Pasila
Pasila
is a suburb in Helsinki, Finland. It is a central-northern neighbourhood, bordering Alppila to the south, Central Park to the west and Vallila to the east....
, Helsinki, because the main commentators Anssi Kukkonen and Pentti Salmi were unable to do so because of the number of games and traveling. The greatest moments of his football commentating careers among others are the Euro 92
1992 UEFA European Football Championship
The 1992 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was hosted by Sweden between 10 and 26 June 1992. It was the ninth European Football Championship, which is held every four years and supported by UEFA. Eight national teams contested the championship, which was won by Denmark, one of...
final in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
final. He is the main football commentator in YLE together with Tapio Suominen.
Like many other sportcasters, Hoopi also strictly divides the people's opinions. Many people think that he is confident and decorous but he has also been the target for strong criticism because he sometimes does not seem to be very sharp and keen and does not notice what happens on the field, and also because sometimes he concentrates on things that are not the most important. His often put his soul into the events on ski jumping venue or football field passionately but same time does not forget the professional element. He had also made a splash in his workplace YLE. In 1999, when Hoopi heard that his colleague Antero Mertaranta
Antero Mertaranta
Lauri Antero Johannes Mertaranta is a prominent Finnish sportscaster and TV personality and former elementary school teacher....
had left YLE, he opened a pink sparkling wine bottle to celebrate that. There have been rumours that behind this are strong ambitions that taking root from 1995 Ice Hockey World Championships. Finland won its first and only gold medal, but Hänninen was the second-choice commentator after Mertaranta, who commentated passionately his way into the hearts of Finnish people.