Simon Mannering
A Norwegian speed specialist who conquered Olympic super-G gold and a world downhill title with a fearless, attacking style.
Born 1986 (age 40)·New Zealand rugby league footballer·Birthday: August 28·Millennials
Biography
Kjetil Jansrud emerged from the shadow of Norwegian skiing giants to carve his own legacy on the world's steepest slopes. While his early career showed promise in giant slalom, a pivot to the pure speed events of downhill and super-G unlocked his true potential. His breakthrough was emphatic: at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, he seized the super-G gold medal and added a downhill bronze, announcing himself as a new force. Jansrud's skiing was a spectacle of controlled aggression, a trait that carried him to a downhill World Championship gold in Åre in 2019. His rivalry with teammates like Aksel Lund Svindal pushed the entire Norwegian team to dominate the speed circuit for years. After a career battling injuries inherent to his daredevil profession, he retired as one of Norway's most decorated alpine skiers, a champion who thrived when the gates were widest and the speeds highest.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Simon was born in 1986, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Simon Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Simon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1986Born
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1991Started school
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1999Became a teenager
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Could drive
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2004Could vote
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Turned 21
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2016Turned 30
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 40
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Olympic gold medal in the super-G and a bronze in the downhill at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.
- Became the World Champion in downhill at the 2019 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Åre, Sweden.
- Earned an Olympic silver medal in giant slalom at the 2010 Vancouver Games.
- Achieved 23 World Cup race victories, the majority coming in downhill and super-G events.
Did You Know?
He is the host of the popular Norwegian reality TV show 'Alt for Norge' (Everything for Norway), where Americans of Norwegian heritage compete.
He won World Cup races in four different alpine disciplines: downhill, super-G, giant slalom, and combined.
He served as the flag bearer for Norway at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.
His father was also a competitive alpine skier who participated in the 1972 Winter Olympics.
““In speed events, you have to be aggressive. If you're not, you're not going to win.””
