BiathlonBiathlon - Finland
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In a story in the Finnish newspaper Aamulehti director biathlon klub Kontiolahti reveals singular un''aneddoto whose protagonist is a young cross-country skier who subsequently became a world champion in biathlon.
Wednesday 21 December 2016 7 minutes reading time
It was a normal day in early spring dell''anno 2003 in Kontiolahti town, Finnish Karelia, and Mr. Esa Haapala - local Executive Director and fact totum Kontiolahti Ski klubb - was preparing to begin a new day of work. As he had done every morning he began checking the received emails to his personal computer in his office with a privileged view of the most famous polygon of Finland.
But that morning he was struck when you open '' un''email from him unknown sender who recited the almost thus: "Good morning to you. My name is Kaisa Mäkäräinen, I vent''anni and are a distance runner graduated from high school sports to Vuokatti. I'd like to try the biathlon, but I have not the money to buy a rifle, I have no ammunition and even a '' coach. could you help me? ".
Esa Haapala at that time did not know in the least who Kaisa Mäkäräinen was or what results he had achieved up to that point in his short career as a distance runner.
Until 2003 Kaisa was a young middle-distance runner good level in the Finnish national landscape, but virtually unknown internationally, but since it was in possession of good durability in the competitions from 10km up '' and that in that period were multiplying in the bottom of the sprint races - format that she never went to genius - had expressed a desire to try the biathlon. Discipline that was totally skating and races with the format to grow by 7.5 kilometers. Therefore ideal for her.
Graduated all''Istituto the Vuokatti Sports few months before, the native of nearby Ristijärvi was willing to go to university in the department of physics but it was undecided whether to choose between Jyväskylä and Joensuu.
Cosi '' knowing well the major credentials of Karelian clubs in biathlon she try '' to seek help from them and then subsequently opted for the second option shortly after his first visit there.
Mr. Haapala impressed by quell''email few days later he invited Mäkäräinen in Kontiolahti - Joensuu to meet you in person and understand its real will.
 The problem was, however, found a carbine for Kaisa. So with the 'help of one of the clubs, the' former national champion of the years' 80s coach Kalle Leskinen both recovered an old rifle Anschutz who surrendered immediately to the young sinivalkoinen.
The 'beginning was quite difficult since the novice biathlon had never handled a rifle before dell''incontro Kontiolahti with the duo. Leskinen after years tells this story '' that first meeting "Right from beginning I was convinced that the girl was determined nell''imparare a new discipline. He was still inspiring new and important resolutions and end all of its projects have been realized. After all my task was to teach the first movements with the rifle and small tricks of the trade. "
During the first year and a half to Kaisa results it was not very positive. But then from 2005 forward when you entrust '' to care dell''allenatore staff Jarmo Punkkinen in and she '' seen a steady improvement in parallel to its fit with the 'dell''arma use. The results obtained are those under the eyes of all the most loyal fans of this "double discipline". From the entrance in the national team in the same season, the first points in the World Cup in Östersund in 2005. From the first podium in Pokljuka 2007 the first victory ever achieved in Östersund 2010. From the first of the two crystal balls in 2011 and 2014 world title in Khanty Mansiysk.
Years later at Haapala was asked what would happen if that morning had placed the '' e-mail in the junk folder and him between the serious and the humorous, ironic and thought of those who do not want to leak the whole truth comments that probably if Kaisa had gone to '' University in Jyväskylä would hardly have been a biathlete able to conquer all the success in his career. But this statement, the Executive Director is immediately followed by a laugh. After he basically accounts has only been open a unique email and as a result has also made it appear a '' big sliding doors to the most successful biathlete of Finland.
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