Jari Virta #19
Full Name: Jari Georgij Virta
Date of Birth: 16th April 1961
Birthplace: Helsinki
Height: 175cm/5’9″
Weight:78kg/12st 4lb
Shoe Size: 8 1/2
Colour of Eyes: Blue
Nickname: None
School Life: Liked mathematics and sport
First Job: Electrician
Family: Married to Heidi
Home: Chadwell Heath
Newspaper: Star, Guardian
Favourite Food: Steak and potatoes
Worst Food: None
Favourite Drink: Coke
Hobbies: Soccer, golf, tennis
Favourite room in the house: Bedroom
Top TV programmes: Comedy films
TVswitch-off: Political programmes
Pets: None
Top music taste: Everything
Last record/tape bought: T Rex, Marc Bolan
Favourite chocolate/sweets: Maribou chocolate
Best film: Police Academy
Top actor: Charles Bronson
Best thing that ever happened to you: When I got married
Favourite colour: Sky blue
First thing you do when you get up in the morning: Have breakfast
Former clubs: IFK, Karhu-Kissat, TJV
Favourite equipment: Koho, Bauer
Best club played for: IFK
Favourite player: (Finnish) Jari Kurri, (English) Chris Leggatt
Favourite rink: Lee Valley
Worst rink: Janne tells me Blackpool and Bournemouth!
Favourite hockey people: Lee Valley’s supporters
Biggest influence: My father
Best game: TJV – Tuto (won 6-2)
Worst game: TJV – Sapko (lost 2-5)
Worst injury: Broken knee
Best stadium: Lee Valley
Favourite shirt number: 19
Transport: Jaguar
Player(s) for the future: Andy & Chris Leggatt
Advice for youngsters starting in hockey? Learn to skate well and improve your fitness by running etc
All-Star team: Tammi (Finland);Fetisov & Kasatonov (USSR); Marakov, Krutov (USSR) & Kurri (Finland)
Best game watched: World final – USSR 2 Czech 3
Worst thing about hockey: Bad rinks, bad ice
What day of the week do you most dislike? Mondays
If you were on Mastermind what would your specialist subject be? Sport
Which other sportsman would you most like to be? A good soccer player
If someone gave you £50,000 tomorrow what would you do with it? I’d try to save it
Favourite cartoon character? Pink Panther
Most admired female: My wife, Heidi