“I grew up in the city of Trondheim, a northern municipality of Norway. As a kid, I was always very active. My mum and dad took my sisters and me to any activities we wanted to do. We did everything from cross country skiing, soccer, ballet, and dancing. My mom worked as a ski patrol at our local mountain called Vassfjellet (it means Water mountain), which is pretty funny and accurate because it does rain there a lot. She would pick us up at school and drive to the mountain and we would ski/snowboard all evening. We would get home around 9:30 PM, after she was finished patrolling the slopes. We were always the last ones to leave the mountain. Growing up there, first skiing, and then at age 12 snowboarding, I was inspired and motivated by the support our tight-knit community. The local older guys helped me learn tricks, supported me when I entered local contests and initiated my first ever sponsor deal with one of the local shops. From there, I traveled and competed in many of the local contests throughout Norway.”
Kjersti quickly transitioned from amateur to professional in just three short years. She won the Junior World Championships at the age of 17, and clinched her first World Cup contest victory the same year. From there the list goes on: World Cup, X Games, Olympics x 4. Kjersti holds several World Cup podiums, 3 X Games medals and an Olympic bronze medal. Kjersti bested 4th place at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, and earned her bronze medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy for her Halfpipe performance, only a short week after healing a broken leg. Not only is Kjersti a phenomenal competitor, she has an even more impressive longevity in the sport. The four-time Olympian has held down a steady 10-year run in the top ten of the World Snowboard Tour and isn’t planning on touring anytime soon.
Kjersti’s attributes her athletic longevity to her healthy lifestyle. Over the years, inspired by friends in the snowboard community, she realized that nutrient intake and diet are just as essential as the physical components of training. Many of her friends on tour followed the same thinking; throughout the years they challenged each other to broaden their perspectives on the meaning of health. Kjersti taught herself nutrition by researching a wide range of topics, and also by experimenting with dietary habits of her own. As Kersti’s awareness developed, she had an epiphany and opted out of her mainstream energy drink contract to resolve the internal conflict about promoting a product that did not align with her values. Today, Kjersti lives and breathes healthy lifestyle.
