Tomáš Kraus
Encyclopedia
Tomáš Kraus is a Czech
sportsman who has specialized in both alpine skiing
and freestyle skiing
. His best results as an alpine skier was two 28th places at the 1997
and 2003 World Championships
, but as a freestyle skier he is a double world champion and has twelve victories in World Cup races in the skicross
discipline.
. His first FIS Race was a slalom
competition in Bormio in December 1994, and he finished among the top thirty for the first time in January 1995, placing eleventh in Kranjska Gora
. He subsequently progressed to finish seventh in Annaberg
in February and third in Maribor
in March. He competed at the 1997 World Championships
, recording a 28th place in the slalom event. In February 1998 he won his first FIS Race, held in Soriška Planina, and he would accumulate a further nine victories until 2002. In 1999 he won a silver medal in slalom at the 1999 Winter Universiade
, and competed at the 1999 World Championships
without finishing any race. In the World Cup
he made his debut in February 2000 in Todtnau
, but failed to record a valid result. The same thing happened in his two other World Cup starts that season, as well as his three World Cup starts in 2003. His final international competition was the 2003 World Championships
, where he recorded another 28th place in the slalom.
. He made his World Cup debut in November 2002 in Tignes
, and won that race, but only competed in two more races that season. He opened the 2003–04 season with an eighth place in Saas-Fee
, and recorded a fourth place from Pozza di Fassa
in January as his best result. In the 2004–05 season he competed in six World Cup races, winning three of them; in Les Contamines, Pozza di Fassa and Kreischberg. At the end of the season he won the gold medal at the 2005 World Championships
in Ruka
.
Kraus opened the 2005–06 season with a victory in Les Contamines, and followed up with victories in Kreischberg and Sierra Nevada
. His worst result that season was a fourth place. He continued his form in the 2006–07 season. Albeit only competing three times, with two second places and one third place, he won another gold medal at the 2007 World Championships
in Madonna di Campiglio
. In 2007–08 he won four out of his first five races, his worst result being a fifth place. In 2008–09 he opened with two fifth places, but then won the race in Flaine
in January.
Kraus represents the sports club USK Praha. He has used Fischer
skis during his freestyle career, and Dynastar
during his alpine career.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
sportsman who has specialized in both alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
and freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing is form of skiing which used to encompass two disciplines: aerials, and moguls. Except the two disciplines mentioned earlier Freestyle Skiing now consists of Skicross, Half Pipe and Slope Style...
. His best results as an alpine skier was two 28th places at the 1997
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1997
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1997 were held in Sestriere, northwestern Italy, from February 3-15, 1997.Nine years later, the area would later host the alpine events for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino.-Medals table:...
and 2003 World Championships
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2003
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2003 were held in St. Moritz, Switzerland, from February 2-16, 2003.St. Moritz previously hosted the world championships in 1974, as well as the 1948 Winter Olympics and the 1928 Winter Olympics ....
, but as a freestyle skier he is a double world champion and has twelve victories in World Cup races in the skicross
Skicross
Ski Cross is a type of skiing competition. It is based on the snowboarding discipline of boardercross...
discipline.
Alpine skiing
Kraus was born in DěčínDecín
Děčín is a town in the Ústí nad Labem Region in the north of the Czech Republic. It is the largest town and administrative seat of the Děčín District.-Geography:...
. His first FIS Race was a slalom
Slalom skiing
Slalom is an alpine skiing discipline, involving skiing between poles spaced much closer together than in Giant Slalom, Super-G or Downhill, thereby causing quicker and shorter turns.- Origins :...
competition in Bormio in December 1994, and he finished among the top thirty for the first time in January 1995, placing eleventh in Kranjska Gora
Kranjska Gora
Kranjska Gora is a town and a municipality on the Sava Dolinka River in the Upper Carniola region of northwest Slovenia, close to the Austrian and Italian borders.Kranjska Gora is best known as a winter sports town, being situated in the Julian Alps...
. He subsequently progressed to finish seventh in Annaberg
Annaberg
Annaberg is a former district in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It was bounded by the Czech Republic and the districts of Aue-Schwarzenberg, Stollberg and Mittlerer Erzgebirgskreis. Its national colors are pink, green, and blue.- History :In the Middle Ages the Ore Mountains were virtually...
in February and third in Maribor
Maribor
Maribor is the second largest city in Slovenia with 157,947 inhabitants . Maribor is also the largest and the capital city of Slovenian region Lower Styria and the seat of the Municipality of Maribor....
in March. He competed at the 1997 World Championships
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1997
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1997 were held in Sestriere, northwestern Italy, from February 3-15, 1997.Nine years later, the area would later host the alpine events for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino.-Medals table:...
, recording a 28th place in the slalom event. In February 1998 he won his first FIS Race, held in Soriška Planina, and he would accumulate a further nine victories until 2002. In 1999 he won a silver medal in slalom at the 1999 Winter Universiade
1999 Winter Universiade
The 1999 Winter Universiade, the XIX Winter Universiade, took place in Poprad Tatry, Slovakia.-Medal Table:...
, and competed at the 1999 World Championships
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1999
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1999 were held in Vail and Beaver Creek, Colorado, U.S.A., from February 2-14, 1999.Lasse Kjus of Norway placed in the top two in all five events, winning two gold medals and taking three silvers. Hermann Maier of Austria won gold medals in the two speed...
without finishing any race. In the World Cup
Alpine skiing World Cup
The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is the top international circuit of alpine skiing competitions, launched in 1966 by a group of ski racing friends and experts which included French journalist Serge Lang and the alpine ski team directors from France and the USA...
he made his debut in February 2000 in Todtnau
Todtnau
Todtnau is a town in the district of Lörrach in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. As of 2009 its population was of 4,932.-Geography:It is situated in the Black Forest, on the river Wiese, 20 km southeast of Freiburg....
, but failed to record a valid result. The same thing happened in his two other World Cup starts that season, as well as his three World Cup starts in 2003. His final international competition was the 2003 World Championships
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2003
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2003 were held in St. Moritz, Switzerland, from February 2-16, 2003.St. Moritz previously hosted the world championships in 1974, as well as the 1948 Winter Olympics and the 1928 Winter Olympics ....
, where he recorded another 28th place in the slalom.
Freestyle skiing
Before retiring as an alpine skier, Kraus had already taken up skicrossSkicross
Ski Cross is a type of skiing competition. It is based on the snowboarding discipline of boardercross...
. He made his World Cup debut in November 2002 in Tignes
Tignes
Tignes is a commune in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It is also a ski resort near Val d'Isère, that are linked together as the "Espace Killy" region...
, and won that race, but only competed in two more races that season. He opened the 2003–04 season with an eighth place in Saas-Fee
Saas-Fee
Saas-Fee is the main village in the Saastal, or the Saas Valley, and is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
, and recorded a fourth place from Pozza di Fassa
Pozza di Fassa
Pozza di Fassa is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 60 km northeast of Trento...
in January as his best result. In the 2004–05 season he competed in six World Cup races, winning three of them; in Les Contamines, Pozza di Fassa and Kreischberg. At the end of the season he won the gold medal at the 2005 World Championships
FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships 2005
The 2005 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships took place at the Rukatunturi ski resort in Kuusamo, Finland, between March 17th and March 20th. Five events were held for each sex, including half-pipe, skicross, ariels, moguls and dual moguls.-Half-Pipe:...
in Ruka
Rukatunturi
Rukatunturi is a high fell and a ski resort in Kuusamo, Finland. Apart from downhill skiing, there are over 500 km of cross-country skiing tracks. Also snowmobiles can be rented to enjoy some of the area's 600 km of snowmobile routes . Ruka is also the southern end of the Karhunkierros...
.
Kraus opened the 2005–06 season with a victory in Les Contamines, and followed up with victories in Kreischberg and Sierra Nevada
Sierra Nevada (Spain)
The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range in the region of provinces of Granada and Almería in Spain. It contains the highest point of continental Spain, Mulhacén at 3478 m above sea level....
. His worst result that season was a fourth place. He continued his form in the 2006–07 season. Albeit only competing three times, with two second places and one third place, he won another gold medal at the 2007 World Championships
FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships 2007
The 2007 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships were held in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, from March 5th-11th. Five events were supposed to be held for each sex, but the half-pipe was canceled.-Skicross:-Moguls:-Dual Moguls:-Aerials:-Skicross:...
in Madonna di Campiglio
Madonna di Campiglio
Madonna di Campiglio is a village and a ski resort in northeast Italy. It is a frazione of the comune of Pinzolo. The village lies in the Val Rendena at an altitude of 1,522 m...
. In 2007–08 he won four out of his first five races, his worst result being a fifth place. In 2008–09 he opened with two fifth places, but then won the race in Flaine
Flaine
Flaine is the name of a ski area in the Haute Savoie region of the French Alps, and is a part of the linked Grand Massif domain. It is in the territory of the communes of Magland and Arâches. Flaine is linked to Samoëns, Morillon, Les Carroz and Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, with 267 km of pistes in total...
in January.
Kraus represents the sports club USK Praha. He has used Fischer
Fischer Skis
Fischer Skis is an Austrian company that produces Nordic skiing, Alpine skiing, Tennis and Hockey equipment. It is one of the largest manufacturers of equipment in the world cup for both Nordic and Alpine skiing disciplines and manufactures a wide range of skis and ski equipment targeted against...
skis during his freestyle career, and Dynastar
Dynastar
Dynastar is a winter sports company based in Sallanches, France. Founded in 1963, the name Dynastar was born when Les Plastiques Synthétiques, manufacturers of Starflex skis, collaborated with Dynamic on a new compound ski....
during his alpine career.