ALPINE SKI. 35-year old Kalle Palander sustained yet another, and his last, knee injury last October at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup opening in Sölden. Thursday, 20th September, Palander announced that he is pulling down the curtain on his career.

Kalle Palander, photo © Fischer

"This decision is the final one. For the first time, I quit in April. But then I started training again," he says.

The final decision came after a long period of reflection beginning in February and concluding in July.

"My gear has been ready to go since Sölden last year. Yesterday I took it and brought everything from the garage to the basement," Palander said. "It felt a bit strange, I have to admit. I thought about putting the boots on one more time, but then I decided to let it be."

Kalle Palander, photo © Fischer

"It would be too easy to say that I quit because the body cannot take it any more. But that is not the reason. I am in shape enough physically to say that if I had the motivation, fire, will and faith, I could make it back to the top, I would have continued."

"I feel relieved now. There is no longer the pressure to get fit by Sölden. I had to force myself to train and then when I got there, I just wasted my time at the gym. It is time to go and do something else."

As the first Finn, Kalle Palander won slalom gold at the FIS World Ski Championships in Vail in 1999. He debuted in the World Cup in December 1996 and won a total of 14 World Cup events, both in slalom and giant slalom. He won the slalom World Cup title in the season 2002/03.

FISalpine.com
Thursday 20 September 2012

Kalle Palander
Born: 02.05.1977, Tornio, Finland
Kalle Palander is a Finnish alpine skier, the most successful male Finn ever to participate in the sport. Naturally he has been also one of the key factors as to why alpine skiing is so popular in Finland. His blazing and energetic character fascinates both young and old sports enthusiasts alike. Palander made his World Cup debut in December 1996 at the age of 19 in the Slalom competition at Madonna di Campiglio and collected the first WC points in 1998, finishing 16th in the slalom race held in Yong Pyong. He made his first podium in 2003, triumphing in the famous Slalom race in Kitzbuehel. In 1999 Palander won the World Championship title in slalom at Vail. He also won the World Cup Crystal Globe in slalom during the season 2002/2003, and was fourth in the overall standings. Kalle has also been successful in giant slalom. Till now he collected 30 World Cup podiums, including 14 victories. In February of 2008 Finnish ski racing star elected to undergo surgery to correct a stress fracture of his right leg, an injury he had been skiing on. Two and a half seasons later, at age 33, Palander is launching a comeback at the beginning of the season 2010/2011 in Soelden. Kalle is known for his relaxed attitude and for wearing a red tuque instead of a helmet when participating in slalom. Pallander is one of the faces of the Finnish ski clothing company HALTI.