Rutt Šmigun (née Rehemaa; born 4 May 1954 in Tartu) is an Estonian former cross-country skier who competed for the Soviet Union.
Early life and career Šmigun began skiing in 1961, initially coached by Agnes Nopasson and later by Herbert Abel. As a junior, she achieved significant international success at the European Junior Championships (the precursor to the Junior World Championships). She won silver medals in the 5 km and relay in 1970, and gold medals in both the 5 km individual and 3 × 5 km relay in 1972 and 1973. Over her junior career, she accumulated four gold, two silver, and one bronze medal at the European Junior Championships.
Senior career After moving to the senior ranks, Šmigun was selected for the Soviet national team but faced intense competition from established Soviet stars such as Galina Kulakova, Alevtina Oljunina, Raisa Smetanina, and Zinaida Amosova. She competed in several international races in the mid-1970s, including events in Czechoslovakia, West Germany, and Austria. She won 20 individual Estonian championship titles and 6 relay titles between 1970 and 1984. She also won the Tartu Ski Marathon in 1978, 1982, and 1983, and placed third in the 75 km Finlandialoppet in 1984, ahead of triple Olympic gold medalist Marja-Liisa Hämäläinen.
Personal life In 1975, she married Anatoli Šmigun, a Soviet cross-country skier and junior European champion. The couple settled in Tartu, Estonia. They have two daughters: Kristina Šmigun-Vähi (born 1977), a double Olympic gold medalist (Torino 2006) and multiple World Championship medalist, and Katrin Šmigun (born 1979), also an Olympic and World Championship competitor. Šmigun's nephew, Aivar Rehemaa, is also an Estonian cross-country skier.
Later recognition In 2010, Šmigun was named "Mother of the Year" (Aasta ema) by the Estonian Women's Association. She has been described as having devoted her life to supporting her family and her daughters' athletic careers.
