ROBERT KRANJEC

Born: 16. 7. 1981 Kranj

Residence: Kranj

Club: SK Triglav Kranj

School: School of Commerce, School of Economics, School of Hairdressing and 2 years of Tailoring school (boy…he love(d) school…)

Nickname: Robi, leteči Kranjec (flying Kranjec)

Family: mother – Cvetka, wife – Špela, daughter – Pika Felicija

Status: Married to Špela

Hobbies: diving, motorbike riding, inline hockey

Quote: »I’m fine. I hope I can be back on the hill as soon as possible.« »I was scared in my first three jumps today, because in Innsbruck I fell right after the take-off. It was a really bad fall, I lost the left ski. And after such a crash it’s not so easy to start jumping again.«

First podium (FIS): 1.3.2002 Lahti (altogether 25)

First victory (FIS): 26.11.2005 Kuusamo (altogether 7)

Personal best: 244m ( 25.2.2012 Vikersund)

Achievements:

2x winner of small Crystal Globe (ski flying), ( 2009/10 and 2011/12)

1x winner of Ski Flying World Championship, (2011/12)

Olympic: 2002 - bronze (team)

Idol: Slovenian ski jumper Bogdan Norcic.

Start of sporting career: he began at age 11 (he was inspired to take up the sport by Slovenian ski jumper Bine Norcic.).

Injuries: During his career he has suffered a broken collarbone, a fractured rib, displaced vertebrae and thumb and elbow & knee injuries.

Things you may not know:

-With 239m he was a world record holder.

-16.3 2012 - he was the first Slovenian ski jumper who won in Planica since 1988, when Primož Ulaga won.

-He’s been member of national team since 1998

-He’ll jump at least until 2018.

-He adopted Pika from Africa - Gvinea Bissau. She has two older sisters (7 and 9 years old). Her biological mother is alive but her biological father is dead.

-He became the first Slovenian to claim the individual world title in ski flying after he finished first at the 2012 World Championships in Vikersund, Norway.

-He got married in Bali (no one knew about their marriage, they only sent a message to their friends and family).

-He jumped with a parachute over 4000 meters high.

-He is doing a course to become a ski jumping coach.