When multiple-time Olympic, World, and Junior world champion Lasse Kjus of Norway looks back, he says, “That was the start of it all, and when I learned that I could do it. I could compete at the highest level and deliver. Everything felt right. I knew I was on the right path.”
He could be speaking of his world class skiing career, or the world class ski and golf apparel brand named after him.
In 1999, still at the height of his racing career, Lasse recognized there was a lack of technical, functional, ski-specific apparel available to non-professional skiers. So, he set out to break the image of what ski wear was known to be, he created the KJUS brand to meet that need. KJUS push technical apparel to the limits and was the first brand to introduce stretch to a fully functioning ski jacket.
That was the same year the Norwegian medaled in all five Alpine disciplines at the World Championships, a feat not achieved before or since. This was obviously a man who understood the benefits of performance sportswear.
As a single-digit handicap golfer, Lasse and the KJUS team recognized the same uncompromising focus they had brought to technical skiwear would also benefit golfers, and in 2011 KJUS launched its first premier performance golf wear collection.
In 2006 Lasse said he was “done with the gates!” and retired from racing, but his commitment to excellence is still an inspiration for his namesake brand to perform at the highest level.
Achievements
• 1988 -2006 Active ski racer
• 1990 Junior World Champion in Giant Slalom in Zinal, Switzerland
• 1993 World Champion in Combined in Morioka, Japan
• 1994 Olympic Winner in Combined in Lillehammer, Norway
• 1999 2 x 2nd place at the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan
• 1994 - 2002 5 medals at Olympic Winter Games
• 1993 - 2003 11 medals at World Championships
• 1996 and 1999 Winner of Overall World Cup
• 18 World Cup victories