Kalevi Laurila

Kalevi Laurila made his international début at the 1962 World Championships, where he won a silver in the relay and was 17th at 15 km. At the 1964 Olympic Winter Games Laurila won another silver in the relay, while placing sixth in the 30 km and ninth in the 15 km. Laurila’s best international competition was the 1966 World Championships, where he won his only individual international medal – a silver over 30 km – and again won a silver in the relay. At the 1968 Winter Olympics Laurila won bronze in the relay, was fourth in the 15K, sixth at 30K and 11th in the 50 km. He made his last international appearance at the 1974 World Championships, where he was fourth in the relay. Laurila won the 15 km at Lahti in 1966, the 30 km at the 1967 Swedish Ski Games in Falun, and won seven Finnish Championships in cross-country skiing – four at 15 km (1967-68, 1970, 1974), two at 30 km (1966, 1968) and one over 50 km (1967). Laurila also competed in rowing and later in biathlon. He won the 1967 Finnish title in coxless fours and in the European Police Championships biathlon, won silver in 1973 and a bronze in 1978. By profession Laurila was a police sergeant and in 1975 was the first recipient of the Esko Award, an annual award awarded by Alexis Kivi Club to a person who has had notable accomplishments in his line or profession for that year.