| Ale Riipinen | |
| Full Name: | Heikki Aleksi Riipinen |
| Nickname: | Ale |
| National Team: | Finland |
| Birth Date: | 28 May 1883 |
| Birth Place: | Laukaa, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire |
| Death Place: | Espoo, Finland |
| Occupation: | Physical education teacher, lecturer, school inspector |
| Spouse: | Hilja Riipinen |
| Sport: | Gymnastics |
Heikki Aleksi "Ale" Riipinen (28 May 1883 – 13 February 1957) was a Finnish gymnast who won bronze in the 1908 Summer Olympics.[1]
He won the Finnish national championship in team gymnastics as a member of Ylioppilasvoimistelijat in 1909.[3]
He completed his matriculation exam at the Jyväskylä Classical Lyceum in 1903 and graduated as a physical education teacher in 1908.[4]
He worked as a school teacher in Lapua in 1908–1927, becoming also a rector. Then he worked as a lecturer in Jyväskylä in 1927–1948. Finally he returned to Lapua to teach until 1951.
He also wrote on physical education and other subjects in Suomen Urheilulehti and other papers.
He was the chairman of the state taxation board in Lapua in 1923–1927.
He served in the White Guard as a platoon leader and a company commander during the Finnish Civil War. He was a garrison commandant in the Finnish Defence Forces and a chief of office of a White Guard district during the Second World War. He reached the rank of lieutenant.
He played a small part in initiating the namesake action of the Lapua Movement, although it is unknown, if he actually participated it.[5]
He received the following honorary awards:
He is also an honorary member of several clubs and associations.
His parents were farmer Mikko Riipinen and Iida Manninen.
He married Hilja Miklin-Metsäpolku in 1911.[6] They had two children:
He died from a heart attack in Espoo while visiting his daughter.[11]