Akseli Kokkonen
Akseli Ensio Kokkonen (born 27 February 1984 in Oslo) is a Norwegian ski jumper of Finnish descent, who began his career in the Finnish Ski Association since 2007 but trained in the Norwegian Ski Association and after naturalization also belongs to the national squad since 2009.
Kokkonen launched in Finland for the ski club of the city of Lahti, Lahti the Hiihtoseura. The because of back problems prematurely ended military service he made up for in summer 2006. Then he went back to the ski jumping. In summer 2007, he moved to Lillehammer in Norway, joined the team Lillehammer Hopp and enrolled at his new club Søre Ål. Since November 2008, he starts for the club Stårheim IL, where he is the only ski jumper.
Career
Akseli Kokkonen was born in Oslo in 1984. His grandmother is Norwegian; when he was one year old, his family, however, moved to Lahti in Finland, where lived until 2006. In 2004 he completed his secondary education at the Rudolf Steiner School in Lahti ( a Waldorf school). Originally planned Kokkonen, in April 2005 at Vierumaeki Sports Institute to begin a study to make up to 2008 trained as a physical education teacher. Finally, Kokkonen but opted for a training instructor and an active ski jumping career.
Kokkonen began at the age of eleven years with the ski jumping. Since 2003 he has been seen in international competitions. In the Finnish championships he won in 2002/ 03 in Kuopio on the normal hill in third. 2003/ 04 in Kuopio on the large hill, he was runner-up and 2003/ 04 in Rovaniemi on the normal hill he also managed a third place. His personal best Kokkonen reached on 22 February 2004 in Planica on the ski flying hill (K -185 ). He reached a length of 213.5 m.
In a training jump in Kuopio (August 2004) to Kokkonen suffered a fracture of the clavicle. This was followed by 4 weeks break from training and a long-lasting drop in form. Mid-January 2006 announced Akseli Kokkonen one expected by summer 2006 lasting break from the ski jumping. He lived for 31 January in Egypt, there to complete his instructor training, which he passed on March 1, 2006. In summer 2006, Kokkonen took after his military service.
In summer 2007, Kokkonen left his original residence in Lahti and moved to Lillehammer in Norway to train there. Since he learned far more support by the Norwegians as the Finnish Ski Association, he finally decided to stay there .. Since the summer of 2009, he has Norwegian citizenship and starts for the Norwegian team.
Sporting successes
Successes in the World Cup Ski Jumping
2003/2004: In the Ski Jumping World Cup 2003/2004 Kokkonen finished with 280 points, 19th overall. The best results were fifth place in Kuusamo ( Finland) and seventh place in Zakopane.
2004/2005: Less successful was the season 2004/2005. Kokkonen attended only seven jumping and had to end the season prematurely. He finished third in the overall ranking only 64th place
2005/2006: In the Ski Jumping World Cup 2005/2006 Kokkonen was only in the squad for the Finnish B- squad. In Rovaniemi, he played a Continental Cup jumping.
2006/2007: In the only Finnish Finlandia Veikkaus tour, Kokkonen first gaining popularity again. In Ski Jumping World Cup he has not yet been reinstated.
Success in ski jumping Grand Prix
BUFF Norges Cup success in 2007/ 08
With this unexpected winning streak Akseli succeeded in winning the championship.
BUFF Norges Cup success in 2008/ 09
Renewed overall victory