Stefan Kraft is an Austrian ski jumper widely regarded as one of the most accomplished athletes in the history of the sport. Over his career, Stefan Kraft has won the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup overall title three times, the Ski Flying World Cup three times, the Four Hills Tournament once, and the Raw Air tournament three times. He has also claimed three individual gold medals at the World Championships, and between 2017 and 2025 he held the ski flying world record with a 253.5-metre (832-foot) jump in Vikersund, Norway.

Early Life and Background

Stefan Kraft was born on May 13, 1993, in Schwarzach im Pongau in Austria’s Salzburg state. His parents are Rene Kraft and Margot Kraft. He began his sporting life at the age of four by playing football, an early passion that remained part of his identity even as he transitioned into winter sports.

Not long after, Stefan Kraft joined the Großarl Ski Club, which became the foundation for his progression into ski jumping. His interest in the discipline reportedly intensified after watching his close friend Christian Reiter compete in an event, a moment that helped redirect his focus. By the age of ten, he had committed to ski jumping—an early decision that would become the starting point of a career defined by elite consistency and record-level performance.

Career Beginnings

Stefan Kraft made his FIS Ski Jumping World Cup debut in January 2012 in Bischofshofen, Austria. From that entry point onward, he established himself as an athlete capable of winning at the highest level, turning early appearances into an expanding record of podiums and major titles.

His rise accelerated in the 2014–2015 season when he won the overall classification of the Four Hills Tournament, a milestone that placed him among the sport’s most prominent names. The victory also positioned Stefan Kraft as a defining figure of Austria’s modern era in ski jumping, building the platform for his later overall World Cup dominance.

Breakthrough and Major Titles

In March 2017, Stefan Kraft won his first overall FIS Ski Jumping World Cup championship. His peak period is also closely associated with his ski flying achievements, including a jump in Vikersund, Norway in 2017 measuring 253.5 metres—described as his personal best and a world record held from 2017 to 2025.

Within the same broader era, he also secured the Ski Flying World Cup title multiple times and strengthened his status as one of the most decorated athletes of the modern circuit. The combination of overall World Cup success and ski flying dominance made Stefan Kraft a rare profile in the sport: a jumper who could win across formats, venues, and competitive rhythms.

According to the provided record comparison, his 253.5-metre jump was only half a metre shorter than the 254-metre jump attributed to Dimitry Vassiliev in 2015. The framing of this comparison underlines how close elite ski flying margins can be, and how Stefan Kraft operated at the extreme edge of measurable performance for many seasons.

World Championships and International Record

Stefan Kraft collected major medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, including at the 2015 championships in Falun, Sweden, where he won a silver medal in the Men’s Team Large Hill event and a bronze medal in the Individual Normal Hill event. Over his career, he amassed numerous gold, silver, and bronze medals at World Championships, reflecting a sustained ability to deliver under the sport’s most pressure-intensive conditions.

He is also described as having won both the overall World Cup title and the Ski Flying World Cup title in the 2016–2017 season, reinforcing his reputation for completing “double” seasons that leave a lasting imprint on the sport’s historical record. With three individual World Championship gold medals in total, Stefan Kraft is positioned among the defining champions of the modern era.

Playing Style and Approach

Stefan Kraft is known for disciplined preparation and a perfectionist mindset, traits often associated with athletes capable of repeating elite performances across long competitive calendars. His career narrative emphasizes structured work habits and a focus on precision—qualities especially valuable in a sport where minor technical differences can determine results.

Personal Life

Outside competition, Stefan Kraft is described as someone who enjoys football and is a devoted fan of FC Bayern Munich. He also enjoys spending time in nature, with interests that include hiking, skiing, and mountain biking. In his private life, he is characterized as modest, cheerful, and someone who enjoys laughter.

Stefan Kraft is married to Marisa Probst. In addition to his sporting identity, he has been associated with the production The Big Jump, which places him within a media context beyond competition results and further expands his public profile.

Career Statistics (Feb. 2026)

Source: Biyografiler.com