The 34-year-old veteran of the Swedish ski team is hitting the brakes and reloading.

Charlotte Kalla is not among the 20 Swedish skiers headed for the World Cup in Davos this weekend. The seasoned racer, who debuted on the World Cup in 2006, needs to step back and recharge.  

“We have come up with a plan for Charlotte that allows her to stay home and focus on training for the next 10 days,” says Magnus Ingesson, head coach for the Swedish national women’s team.  

Ingesson is confident that Kalla will be back on the start line soon, and that sitting out this weekend’s World Cup races will only make her better prepared for the next. 

“Charlotte has been in great shape this fall, she has been strong all through the early part of this season, and the passion for racing is there. That’s why we believe that staying home this weekend for a ‘restart’ will make her stronger overall for the events later in the season,” he says.   

Kalla, who is aiming for her fourth Olympics in February, is also fine with the plan. For her, there are more important events to come than a two-day World Cup.  

“I know that I have more to offer (than what I have performed so far this season). I hope that adding a short training period now will allow my body to respond better in the races later in the season. It’s all about enjoying the moment, reload and relaunch,” Kalla says.