Antti Raita

Born as one of nine children of Henrik Mattsson Heikkilä, Antti changed his name from Raitanen to Raita in 1906.

During his career, Antti Raita represented several clubs, including Kaarinan Jyryä, Kaarinan Pyrkivää, and the Turku Sports Association. In 1909, he captured his first Finnish championship titles by winning all three events (1 km, 10 km, and 30 km). Three years later, he added three more titles over the 1 km, 10 km, and the 60 km road race. He secured his final championship in 1913, once again in the road race.

Raita placed second at the Finnish championships in the road race (1911, 1914) and in 1911 in the race around Lake Mälaren. On the same course, he competed at the 1912 Olympic Games, finishing an excellent 6th in the individual road time trial and fifth with the team. The result was not matched by any Finnish cyclist until Atlanta 1996, when Tea Vikstedt-Nyman placed sixth in the women’s individual time trial on the road. Raita set various national records over various distances, including the 10 km, 60 km and 100 km.

From 1915-30, Raita lived in the United States (for some time in Detroit), and later in the USSR. He then returned to Finland but eventually emigrated to the United States in 1939. There, he worked as a carpenter and labourer by trade. He was married to Lempi Maria Lieto, and together they had one son and one daughter.