Marianne Ihalainen (born 22 February 1967) is a retired Finnish ice hockey forward. She won a bronze medal as captain of the Finnish national team at the 1998 Winter Olympics and also won six IIHF World Women's Championship bronze medals, four IIHF European Women Championships gold medals and one bronze while representing Finland and was eight time SM-sarja Finnish Champion with Ilves. Ihalainen is regarded as one of the pioneers of women’s ice hockey in Finland and she was one of the first women inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame Finland, alongside fellow trailblazer Riikka Sallinen.
After her retirement from playing in 2001, Ihalainen coached the Ilves women’s team during 2002–2006 and led the team to victory in the 2006 SM-sarja Finnish Championship. In 2006, she became the head coach and team manager of the Finnish national team. Under Ihalainen coaching, the Finnish national team won bronze medals at the 2008 and 2009 IIHF Women's World Championship and a bronze medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
At a ceremony held during the 2019 IIHF Women's World Championship in Espoo, she became the first woman to have her career formally honoured by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association.
Awards and honours Award YearFinland Naisten SM-sarja Top Goal Scorerlater renamed the Tiia Reima Award 1989–90 (21 goals) Naisten SM-sarja Top Point Scorerlater renamed the Marianne Ihalainen Award 1989–90 (33 points) Suomen JääkiekkoleijonaHockey Hall of Fame Finland 2007 Number retired by the Tampereen Ilves 2007 Career honoured by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association 13 April 2019International IIHF European Women Championship Gold Medal 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995 IIHF Women's World Championship Bronze Medal 1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000 IIHF European Women Championship Bronze Medal 1996 Olympic Games Bronze Medal 1998
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