Vanessa Vandy

Vanessa Isabelle Vandy (born 14 May 1989) is a New Zealand-born Finnish film director, cinematographer and former pole vaulter. She is a national outdoor and indoor champion for the pole vault, and also, a bronze medalist at the 2009 European Athletics Under-23 Championships in Kaunas, Lithuania.

Film career Vandy is currently working as a film director and cinematographer. Her style lies in her ability to move people, to capture their attention and to evoke an emotion. Her first short film, Farewell, was selected as a finalist in One Screen 2017 Film Festival's Free The Bid - new female director category.

Athletic career Born in Auckland to a New Zealand father and Finnish mother, Vandy holds a dual citizenship, and chose to represent her mother's birthplace Finland at numerous sporting events, including the Olympic games. At age ten, Vandy moved with her family to Vaasa, Finland, where she began pole vaulting at age 13. She eventually became a member of, and trained full-time at Vasa Idrottssällskap, under her personal and head coach Johan Westö.

In 2007, Vandy made her international debut at the European Junior Championships, where she achieved a seventh-place finish in the women's pole vault. She also set her personal best of 4.15 metres by winning the bronze medal at the Finnish Elite Series in Lahti, ahead of her teammate Minna Nikkanen, who flew over 4.05 metres. Shortly after the series, she continued to beat Nikkanen at the Sweden-match in Gothenburg, and most importantly, at the Finnish Indoor Championships in Joensuu, where she claimed her first ever career title in the pole vault.

The following year, Vandy reached her breakthrough season by vaulting her personal best of 4.31 metres at an athletics meet in Sopot, Poland.

In 2009, Vandy extended her personal best of 4.36 metres by finishing second at the Elite World Championships in Lapua, behind her teammate Minna Nikkanen. She also won the bronze medal at the European Athletics Under-23 Championships in Kaunas, Lithuania, with a satisfying height of 4.35 metres.

In early 2011, Vandy announced her retirement from pole vault to focus on and pursue her career in filmmaking, having suffered knee problems for the past few years.