Alvar Rantalahti
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's cross-country skiing | ||
Representing  Finland
| ||
| World Championships | ||
 |
1938 Lahti | 50 km |
Alvar Rantalahti (July 29, 1913 – January 30, 2007) was a Finnish cross-country skier who competed in the late 1930s. He won a silver medal at the 1938 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in the 50 km.
In 1941, Rantalahti shot a Soviet prisoner of war who'd spoken back to him and resisted his commands. After the war, he went into hiding in northern Sweden, and remained in hiding until 1948. Rantalahti then came forward and was put on trial for the unlawful execution. He was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to one year in prison. He was pardoned by President Juho Kusti Paasikivi in 1950.[1]
Cross-country skiing results[edit]
All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[2]
World Championships[edit]
- 1 medal – (1 silver)
| Year | Age | 18 km | 50 km | 4 × 10 km relay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | 24 | — | Silver | — |
References[edit]
- ^ Uola, Mikko (2013-10-15). Unelma kommunistisesta Suomesta 1944-1953 (in Finnish). Minerva. pp. 238–239. ISBN 978-952-492-816-8.
- ^ "RANTALAHTI Alvar". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
External links[edit]
 | This biographical article relating to Finnish cross-country skiing is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1913 births
- 2007 deaths
- FIS Nordic World Ski Championships medalists in cross-country skiing
- Finnish cross-country skiing biography stubs
- Finnish expatriates in Sweden
- Finnish male cross-country skiers
- Finnish military personnel of World War II
- Finnish people convicted of manslaughter
- Finnish people convicted of war crimes
- Prisoners and detainees of Finland
- Recipients of Finnish presidential pardons