Sport is close to Veli-Pekka Suomalainen’s heart. VPS has supported several individual and team sport athletes and teams over the years.Sport is close to Veli-Pekka Suomalainen’s heart. VPS has supported several individual and team sport athletes and teams over the years.

The most successful in international fields has been, at least so far, triple jumper Heli Kruger (née Koivula), who won silver in the European Championships in Munich in 2002.

Over the years, VPS’ “stable” has included runners Johanna Manninen, Sari Keskitalo, Stefan Koivikko and Niclas Sandells and high jumper Heikki Taneli. VPS has sponsored, for example, football clubs HJK and VPS and ice hockey club Jokerit.

- Many sportspersons pay a large share of their camp and other expenses themselves. By sponsoring them we want to help talented people’s journey to the top of the world. Of course, it also offers visibility for the company, says Suomalainen.