19 Oct 2013 at 16:58 | Published by: Hans | Views: 21287 | News search

Oskari Vihervaara plays the Salto in Bad Münder  (Photo by Martin Becker 2013)

Interview with Oskari Vihervaara (OV), Finland and Tantogården

This interview was done the 19th of October 2013. Interviewer is Hans Bergström (HB).

HB: First of all congratulations to a good 2013 season with the fifth place individual in the World Championships in Bad Münder as highlight. Are you happy with this result looking back a month?

OV: A lot of effort was done for this competition. Some glimpses of very good play from the team, some glimpses of very good play from me as well. Let's say I feel that the train is running on schedule.

HB: So, can you tell our readers who is Oskari Vihervaara?

OV: I am 21 years old living in Tampere, Finland together with my brother, his girlfriend and 2 cousins in the same house.

Not in the same apartment though but same house! I finished my duty in the Finnish Army in June, after being a motorcycle scout for the motored Alpha tank company for 6 months. This reinforced my love for motorcycles.

No girlfriend, house loan, working random jobs at the moment from construction to delivering pizzas. Played minigolf for about 10 years or so and represent Tantogårdens BGK.

What else? I like to crazy party sometimes...

HB: If we start with the team play in Bad Münder. Team Finland ended up in sixth place after playing 29,2 in average on felt and 22,5 the eternit. What do you feel about these results?

OV: I feel there were again steps taken towards a great performance from this team to come. A lot of good stuff happened and also a lot of bad stuff happened.

This is not something that we are satisfied and it's good that way. Development stops to satisfaction.

We have still a lot of work ahead but I feel we have the commitment. It's a team I'm proud to represent.

HB: Yourself had a good team play but your best game came on Friday in the stroke play final where your 95 strokes was only beaten by the three medalist in the end. Are you happy with a fifth place in the end in the stroke play?

OV: In the end yes it was a good tournament. Not the best minigolf I've ever played but quite close. It made me more confident of my ability to play world class. I mean I know what it takes and I'm quite comfortable with the fact that I can do it in the future as well.

HB: All over the tournament you played some really good felt, only beaten by Swedens Filiph Svensson with one stroke. How come you found this form on felt in Bad Münder?

OV: I knew the course quite good.

HB: In the match play finals you had the bad luck of having to meet a fellow team mate from Finland. And in this quite tough match you lost against Eetu Ikola with 5-3. Please tell us about this match?

OV: I congratulate Eetu. He's an amazingly talented player whom I enjoy to watch play. Maybe in this match we we're both confused to play against each other and it's no wonder. A circle closes: one year ago we we're in the same place together sharing big emotions. This year it was no different.

HB: What is your opinion about the arrangements of the World Championships in Bad Münder?

OV: Great I have no complains at all. I really enjoy big events like this one it makes playing so much more entertaining. It felt like somebody actually cared about this sports and I was treated like an athlete. It was a nice tournament.

HB: After the nations cup wrote a quite critical blog about the bad behavior of some players and the lack of ruling against this from the referees. Was it the same again on the World Championships or did it work better this time?

OV: Haha. No complains what so ever. Referees work is easy when the players are behaving well. But when the shit hits the fan so to speak, referees need to step up no matter what nationality or what name they have behind their backs. This was my message and I feel it's not supposed to be forgotten after one or two well gone competitions.

HB: This year you changed club to Tantogården and Swedish Elitserien. Already this first year was quite successful and you reached the silver and qualified to the Europa Cup. Can you tell us about how it was playing for the first year in Elitserien?

OV: Great and challenging. New faces, new courses, new team, new language, long break due to army!

If I speak for my own behalf I didn't play on the level I really want to play on any of the Elitserien rounds. But! We had a great team, great time together, great spirit... I am happy for going to Tanto and I feel there is much potential in the team.

HB: You have also been in Holeshov in the Czech Republic and played the Europacup. Tantogården was fifth in the end, was that a good results do you think?

OV: Yes and no. We threw it all away in the first round but we fought after that, like we did the whole season in Elitserien.

All things in life need time and we have a new team. For many of us, this was first season in Elitserien or first time in European Cup and for few of us it was both. It's important that we realize that. For me personally it was a great experiment to play this competition with Tanto.

HB: How will the winter season this year look like and what are your thoughts about the 2014 season??

OV: I will actually focus little bit on the sausage grilling side and I will go for my first bugdet backpack trip to Asia including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and maybe Cambodia, Vietnam or Laos for 5 months!

Take off is first of November so no winter minigolf for me. Only mental and physical training! ;) Next season I will try to be in the best shape I can! No big goals just play good minigolf and take steps forward with Tanto and Finnish national team.

HB: Will we see you in the next years European Championship?

OV: Yes. With a better, meaner and hungrier team Finland.

HB: Thank you for taking this interview and good luck in the future!

OV: No problemo, thank you for having me! Peace and love, hajotkaa pakkaseen! ;)) Good winter everyone!

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