Palolahti, who started for the Alatornion Pirkat, ran his first World Cup race in Lahti in March 1987 , which he finished in 50th place over 30 km freestyle. In February 1995, with fifth place in the sprint in Reit im Winkl, he achieved his first top ten finish in the individual World Cup. The following month he finished third with the relay in Oslo . He got his first World Cup points in November 1996 in Kiruna with the 20th place in the 10 km freestyle. In January 1997, he and Jari Räsänen took second place in the team sprint in Lahti . At the beginning of the 1997/98 season, he won his only individual World Cup victory in the sprint in Milan . This was followed in Falun together with Jari Isometsä in third place in the team sprint and at the end of the season 27th place in the overall World Cup and 17th place in the Sprint World Cup. The following season he came in the top ten four times in the sprint and thus reached 14th place in the Sprint World Cup. He finished third in the sprint in Garmisch-Partenkirchen . In the 1999/2000 season he achieved 17th place in the Sprint World Cup with four places in the points. After 19th place in the sprint in Brusson and 30th place in the sprint in Engelberg at the beginning of the 2000/01 season, he finished third in the sprint in Nové Město . At the highlight of the season, the Nordic World Ski Championships in 2001 in Lahti, he achieved 32nd place in the 50 km freestyle and fourth place in the sprint. He finished the season in 23rd place in the Sprint World Cup. His best individual result in the World Cup, which he finished in 24th place in the Sprint World Cup, in the 2001/02 season, ninth place in the sprint in Stockholm was his best result in the World Cup individual . In early December 2002 he won the World Cup in Kuusamo with the mixed relay. At the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City , he ran on 53rd place over 15 km classic and 20th in sprint. In the 2002/03 season he came with three top ten placements in the individual World Cup, 39th place in the overall World Cup and 16th place in the Sprint World Cup. At the Nordic World Ski Championships in 2003 in Val di Fiemme , he finished 20th in the sprint. He completed his last World Cup race in March 2005 in Lahti, which he finished in 24th place in the sprint.
Participation in World Championships and Olympic Winter Games
Finland
Milan