Japanese ski jumper (born 1972)
Noriaki Kasai Born (1972-06-06 ) 6 June 1972 (age 52) Shimokawa, Hokkaido , Japan[ 1] Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9+ 1 ⁄2 in)[ 1] Ski club Tsuchiya Home Ski Team Personal best 241.5 m (792 ft)Vikersund , 19 March 2017 Seasons Indiv. starts 578 Indiv. podiums 63 Indiv. wins 17 Team starts 73 Team podiums 19 Team wins 3 Nordic titles 1 (1999 ) Updated on 24 March 2024.
Noriaki Kasai (葛西 紀明 , Kasai Noriaki , born 6 June 1972) is a Japanese ski jumper . His career achievements include a gold medal at the 1992 Ski Flying World Championships , winning the 1999 Nordic Tournament , individual silver medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics , and two individual bronze medals at the 2003 Ski Jumping World Championships .
During his career, Kasai has broken numerous ski jumping records. In 2016, he was honoured with two Guinness World Records certificates for the most individual World Cup starts, not only in ski jumping, but in all World Cup disciplines organized by the International Ski Federation . At World Cup level, Kasai competed for a total of 33 seasons between 1988–89 and 2023–24 .
Career
1988: World Cup debut
Kasai made his World Cup debut on 17 December 1988 in Sapporo , Japan, at the age of 16, reaching 31st place. A year later he performed in his first Nordic World Championships in Lahti , Finland.
1992: World champion
He won his first and to date only major championship at the FIS Ski Flying World Championships 1992 in Harrachov , Czechoslovakia. He won after a second day of competition which was cancelled after strong winds and a crash of Christof Duffner . At that time he was among the world's top jumpers, known for his extraordinary style, holding his body almost flat between his skis.
1994: Olympic team medal
In 1994, he was a member of the Japanese national team that won a silver medal in the team large hill and finished fifth in the individual large hill at the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer . After breaking his shoulder he missed the entire 1994–95 season.
1999: Nordic Tournament
In 1999, Kasai won the ski jumping competition at the Holmenkollen Ski Festival and Nordic Tournament overall title. He collected a total of seven medals at the Nordic World Championships , including two silver (team large hill in 1999 and 2003) and five bronze medals (individual normal hill and individual large hill in 2003, team large hill in 2007 and 2009, and mixed team normal hill in 2015). At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver , he finished eighth on the large hill and 17th on the normal hill .
2014: Oldest Olympic medalist
At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi he competed in a record seventh Olympics and took the silver medal in the large hill individual and the bronze in team large hill , becoming the oldest ski jumper ever to take a medal at the winter Olympics.[ 2]
On 29 November 2014, Kasai became the oldest World Cup winner when he shared the victory with Simon Ammann in Ruka , Finland.[ 3]
On 22 February 2015, Kasai won the bronze medal at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2015 in mixed team event and became the oldest medalist at the Nordic World Ski Championships . He performed for a record twelfth time in the competition.
2016: 500th World Cup start
On 4 March 2016, Kasai was on a World Cup podium in Wisła at the age of 43 years and 272 days, which is a record for the oldest contestant to mount the podium in ski jumping history.[ 4] On 17 March 2016, he made his 500th individual start in the World Cup.[ 5]
2018 Olympics
Kasai finished 21st in the normal hill event at the 2018 Winter Olympics .[ 6]
Records
During his career, Kasai broke numerous ski jumping records and age milestones. He is the oldest athlete to ever perform in the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup and holds the record for the most appearances in the competition, with a total of 578 individual starts in 33 seasons between 1988–89 and 2023–24.[ 7] [ 8] Kasai also holds a record number of appearances in ski jumping at the Winter Olympics (21 starts), FIS Nordic World Ski Championships (42 starts), and FIS Ski Flying World Championships (13 starts).[ 9] [ 10] [ 11] In 2016, he was awarded with two Guinness World Records certificates for "the most appearances in FIS Nordic World Ski Championships by an individual ski jumper" and "the most individual starts in FIS Ski Jumping World Cup competitions".[ 12] In November 2014, Kasai became the oldest individual World Cup event winner, aged 42 years and 5 months.[ 3] [ 13] He is also the oldest competitor to make a World Cup podium, aged 44 years and 9 months.[ 14]
Kasai is the first athlete in history to participate at eight Winter Olympics (between 1992 and 2018 ).[ 15] At the 2014 Winter Olympics , he became the oldest Olympic medalist in ski jumping after winning a silver medal aged 41 years and 254 days.[ 2]
Personal life
On 30 January 2016 his wife gave birth to their daughter named Rino.[ 16] [ 17]
Major tournament results
Olympics
FIS World Nordic Ski Championships
Ski Flying World Championships
World Cup
Standings
Individual wins
Individual starts
Kasai was three times on the starting list but did not start, at Bischofshofen in 1997, Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1998, and Lahti in 2014.
winner (1); second (2); third (3); did not compete (–); failed to qualify (q): did not start (DNS)
Season
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
Points
1988–89
0
–
–
–
–
31
26
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1989–90
43
27
18
9
7
20
40
26
15
16
30
–
–
–
18
26
51
7
24
7
10
14
28
50
22
68
1990–91
0
47
39
53
51
61
36
47
57
q
q
18
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1991–92
115
11
13
11
6
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3
6
2
6
60
13
1
7
1992–93
172
34
7
21
14
43
3
1
3
2
1
–
–
1
4
4
4
27
1993–94
562
15
5
31
12
27
14
13
3
2
1
–
–
6
5
3
17
19
45
10
1995–96
132
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
37
14
12
9
17
–
–
52
35
–
–
21
22
17
18
28
q
–
–
–
–
1996–97
351
15
25
7
23
6
18
31
20
12
DNS
–
–
16
21
2
18
15
33
11
41
27
27
12
20
q
1997–98
720
3
7
7
17
10
4
7
6
DNS
25
30
–
–
–
–
–
37
14
3
5
17
8
16
2
30
4
1
1998–99
1,598
5
37
5
6
3
12
13
2
3
3
1
4
3
3
5
11
6
12
1
1
–
3
5
1
4
1
4
3
1
1999–00
436
5
13
5
17
16
34
14
47
18
13
17
44
11
8
29
11
31
22
30
–
42
8
18
7
17
5
2000–01
728
48
2
18
2
1
3
44
7
11
18
4
10
4
7
4
18
6
8
44
19
18
2001–02
219
19
23
25
21
7
25
30
–
–
q
37
28
20
15
–
–
8
3
–
22
25
28
2002–03
548
12
22
11
9
19
17
20
17
21
22
13
39
–
–
–
9
10
22
10
10
12
1
5
6
16
36
7
2003–04
631
12
18
21
6
10
5
6
6
11
–
–
–
–
49
8
2
3
15
1
9
11
16
16
2004–05
416
6
6
14
9
11
5
10
25
15
15
20
10
13
34
22
–
–
–
–
9
7
18
25
29
27
31
39
31
2005–06
249
q
41
32
21
38
39
19
13
12
9
11
24
4
–
–
21
19
19
13
14
31
28
2006–07
182
50
–
–
–
–
q
3
28
42
–
–
–
–
33
15
17
15
19
36
9
12
37
28
24
2007–08
122
11
15
17
26
11
–
–
q
25
39
30
q
q
–
–
–
25
42
25
19
34
27
35
35
27
q
32
2008–09
409
47
33
q
29
6
q
19
17
16
6
19
–
–
–
–
9
12
–
3
21
–
34
5
9
6
28
7
2009–10
344
10
49
30
13
15
35
13
13
9
19
–
–
6
2
–
–
–
–
–
11
16
9
19
2010–11
197
24
16
27
29
35
29
46
22
21
22
–
–
–
11
14
27
25
5
25
DQ
18
25
20
25
q
–
2011–12
45
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
35
29
36
56
–
–
–
–
15
33
42
q
32
29
24
24
23
28
–
2012–13
328
19
10
7
20
30
25
24
q
41
34
23
–
–
11
19
–
–
–
–
–
–
9
19
12
12
4
4
2013–14
1,062
27
5
10
4
6
3
–
–
6
6
7
5
1
3
–
–
3
6
4
4
3
DNS
9
8
3
4
6
5
2014–15
1,137
6
3
1
11
17
–
–
–
–
8
8
3
2
5
8
9
6
8
9
9
5
11
3
5
5
13
10
4
2
5
8
2015–16
909
5
30
17
–
–
3
10
5
12
7
9
–
–
4
3
3
3
7
10
7
16
14
10
7
3
12
6
7
4
2016–17
401
18
24
26
32
33
21
21
31
37
10
14
17
17
23
37
14
12
35
50
21
35
13
15
2
4
3
2017–18
164
31
q
–
–
10
42
48
46
q
18
48
5
24
–
–
q
30
18
46
10
11
22
2018–19
88
q
38
38
35
34
49
30
q
32
32
32
44
40
33
32
7
29
21
11
46
40
36
28
36
q
q
19
–
2019–20
0
q
q
q
45
33
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
q
36
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2022–23
0
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
q
q
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2023–24
10
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
30
43
–
–
38
28
47
q
49
39
27
–
29
–
See also
References
External links
Until 1900 1900–1950
1901: Aksel Refstad (NOR)
1903: Karl Hovelsen (NOR)
1904: Harald Smith (NOR)
1905: Jonas Holmen (NOR)
1907: Per Bakken
1908: Einar Kristiansen (NOR)
1909: Thorvald Hansen
1910: Lauritz Bergendahl
1911: Otto Tangen (NOR), Knut Holst (NOR)
1912: Olav Bjaaland (NOR)
1914: Johan Kristoffersen (NOR)
1915: Sverre Østbye (NOR)
1916: Lars Høgvold (NOR)
1918: Hassa Horn (NOR), Jørgen Hansen (NOR)
1919: Thorleif Haug (NOR), Otto Aasen (NOR)
1923: Thoralf Strømstad (NOR)
1924: Harald Økern (NOR), Johan Grøttumsbråten (NOR)
1925: Einar Landvik (NOR)
1926: Jacob Tullin Thams
1927: Hagbart Haakonsen (NOR), Einar Lindboe (NOR)
1928: Torjus Hemmestveit (NOR), Mikkjel Hemmestveit (NOR)
1931: Hans Vinjarengen (NOR), Ole Stenen (NOR)
1934: Oddbjørn Hagen (NOR)
1935: Arne Rustadstuen (NOR)
1937: Olaf Hoffsbakken (NOR), Birger Ruud (NOR), Martin P. Vangsli (NOR)
1938: Reidar Andersen (NOR), Johan R. Henriksen (NOR)
1939: Sven Selånger (SWE), Lars Bergendahl (NOR), Trygve Brodahl (NOR)
1940: Oscar Gjøslien (NOR), Annar Ryen (NOR)
1947: Elling Rønes (NOR)
1948: Asbjørn Ruud (NOR)
1949: Sigmund Ruud (NOR)
1950: Olav Økern (NOR)
1951–2000
1951: Simon Slåttvik (NOR)
1952: Stein Eriksen (NOR), Torbjørn Falkanger (NOR), Heikki Hasu (FIN), Nils Karlsson (SWE)
1953: Magnar Estenstad (NOR)
1954: Martin Stokken (NOR)
1955: Haakon VII (NOR), Hallgeir Brenden (NOR), Veikko Hakulinen (FIN), Sverre Stenersen (NOR)
1956: Borghild Niskin (NOR), Arnfinn Bergmann (NOR), Arne Hoel (NOR)
1957: Eero Kolehmainen (FIN)
1958: Inger Bjørnbakken (NOR), Håkon Brusveen (NOR)
1959: Gunder Gundersen (NOR)
1960: Helmut Recknagel (GDR), Sixten Jernberg (SWE), Sverre Stensheim (NOR), Tormod Knutsen (NOR)
1961: Harald Grønningen (NOR)
1962: Toralf Engan (NOR)
1963: Alevtina Kolchina (URS), Pavel Kolchin (URS), Astrid Sandvik (NOR), Torbjørn Yggeseth (NOR)
1964: Veikko Kankkonen (FIN), Eero Mäntyranta (FIN), Georg Thoma (FRG), Halvor Næs (NOR)
1965: Arto Tiainen (FIN), Bengt Eriksson (SWE), Arne Larsen (NOR)
1967: Toini Gustafsson (SWE), Ole Ellefsæter (NOR)
1968: Olav V (NOR), Assar Rönnlund (SWE), Gjermund Eggen (NOR), Bjørn Wirkola (NOR)
1969: Odd Martinsen (NOR)
1970: Pål Tyldum (NOR)
1971: Marjatta Kajosmaa (FIN), Berit Mørdre (NOR), Reidar Hjermstad (NOR)
1972: Rauno Miettinen (FIN), Magne Myrmo (NOR)
1973: Einar Bergsland (NOR), Ingolf Mork (NOR), Franz Keller (FRG)
1974: Juha Mieto (FIN)
1975: Gerhard Grimmer (GDR), Oddvar Brå (NOR), Ivar Formo (NOR)
1976: Ulrich Wehling (GDR)
1977: Helena Takalo (FIN), Hilkka Kuntola (FIN), Walter Steiner (SUI)
1979: Ingemar Stenmark (SWE), Erik Håker (NOR), Raisa Smetanina (URS)
1980: Thomas Wassberg (SWE)
1981: Johan Sætre (NOR)
1983: Berit Aunli (NOR), Tom Sandberg (NOR)
1984: Lars Erik Eriksen (NOR), Jakob Vaage (NOR), Armin Kogler (AUT)
1985: Anette Bøe (NOR), Per Bergerud (NOR), Gunde Svan (SWE)
1986: Brit Pettersen (NOR)
1987: Matti Nykänen (FIN), Hermann Weinbuch (FRG)
1989: Marja-Liisa Kirvesniemi (FIN)
1991: Vegard Ulvang (NOR), Trond Einar Elden (NOR), Ernst Vettori (AUT), Jens Weißflog (GER)
1992: Yelena Välbe (RUS)
1993: Emil Kvanlid (NOR)
1994: Lyubov Yegorova (RUS), Vladimir Smirnov (KAZ), Espen Bredesen (NOR)
1995: Kenji Ogiwara (JPN)
1996: Manuela Di Centa (ITA)
1997: Bjarte Engen Vik (NOR), Stefania Belmondo (ITA), Bjørn Dæhlie (NOR)
1998: Fred Børre Lundberg (NOR), Larisa Lazutina (RUS), Alexey Prokurorov (RUS), Harri Kirvesniemi (FIN)
1999: Kazuyoshi Funaki (JPN)
Since 2001
2001: Adam Małysz (POL), Bente Skari (NOR), Thomas Alsgaard (NOR)
2003: Felix Gottwald (AUT), Ronny Ackermann (GER)
2004: Yuliya Chepalova (RUS)
2005: Andrus Veerpalu (EST)
2007: Frode Estil (NOR), Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset (NOR), Harald V (NOR), Sonja (NOR), Simon Ammann (SUI)
2010: Marit Bjørgen (NOR)
2011: Ole Einar Bjørndalen (NOR), Michael Greis (GER), Andrea Henkel (GER), Janne Ahonen (FIN)
2012: Magdalena Neuner (GER), Emil Hegle Svendsen (NOR)
2013: Tora Berger (NOR), Martin Fourcade (FRA), Therese Johaug (NOR), Gregor Schlierenzauer (AUT)
2014: Magnus Moan (NOR), Eric Frenzel (GER), Thomas Morgenstern (AUT), Darya Domracheva (BLR)
2015: Eldar Rønning (NOR), Anders Bardal (NOR), Anette Sagen (NOR), Kamil Stoch (POL)
2016: Noriaki Kasai (JPN), Tarjei Bø (NOR)
2017: Marie Dorin Habert (FRA), Sara Takanashi (JPN)
2018: Charlotte Kalla (SWE), Princess Astrid (NOR), Hannu Manninen (FIN), Kaisa Mäkäräinen (FIN)
2021: Maren Lundby (NOR), Johannes Thingnes Bø (NOR), Dario Cologna (SWI), Johannes Rydzek (GER)
2022: Tiril Eckhoff (NOR), Marte Olsbu Røiseland (NOR), Johannes Høsflot Klæbo (NOR), Jørgen Graabak (NOR)
2023: Maiken Caspersen Falla (NOR), Stefan Kraft (AUT)
2024: Jessie Diggins (USA), Simen Hegstad Krüger (NOR)
International National Academics