He has competed with Ingemar Stenmark, acted professional in the U.S., and last winter he made his Olympic debut in Skicross in Vancouver.
After 22 years of skiing Eric Iljans from Nora now chooses to finish his career on the piste. Skicross was the highlight of the past years, "says the 40-year-old from Nora.
Eric Iljans had his Alpine World Cup debut in 1988. He has competed in Alpine until 1994 and then went to America where he raced on the pro tour during one year. Since 1995, he devoted himself to Skicross so he would be there when the sport made its Olympic debut in Vancouver.
You have been doing this for a while why do you quit now?
I think I'm too old, 40 years. I have a family and a life besides skiing that I will develop now.
What will you be doing when exiting?
Continue to educate me. I am studying to be an economist in Örebro and have studied for almost three years so I'm almost done.
22 years in the industry, which is your best memory?
Oh, there are so many different ones. It was really great to get to ski as a 17-year-old, and compete together with Ingemar Stenmark.
Which quickly leads us to the worst memory from your career?
It was when we would go from Gällivare to Oppdal in Norway, about 120 miles, from an alpine race to another. This was in 1986-87 and there were no cell phones. Shortly after Gällivare we drove off the road and had to take a rental car and once we arrived we found out that the contest was canceled. It became clear some hours after we had left Gällivare and a friend phoned every station on the road and asked them to stop our car and tell us what happened but because we had a rental car they never found us and we drove all the way.
What will you miss the most?
The competitive element, I think. The whole excitement and to test new courses.
And what will you miss the least?
Pre-season training when it is dark and cold.
Even his wife, Magadelna Iljans, has chosen to put the skis on the shelf after many successful years. The Swedish Ski Association would like to thank the couple and wish them every success in the future!
