Introduction
Jan Ingemar Stenmark (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈɪ̌ŋː(ɛ)mar ˈstêːnmark]; born 18 March 1956) is a Swedish former World Cup alpine ski racer. He is regarded as the greatest male skier in technical disciplines and one of the most prominent Swedish athletes ever, having won several Olympic medals and world cups during his career. When he retired in 1989, he held the record for international race wins (86), which was only broken in 2023 by Mikaela Shiffrin and remains unbroken amongst men. He competed for Tärna IK Fjällvinden.
Early life
Born in Joesjö, Storuman Municipality, Lapland, Stenmark and his family moved to Tärnaby near Norway when he was four years old. He became a childhood neighbour of Stig Strand (also born 1956), who tied Stenmark for the World Cup slalom title in 1983. Stenmark began skiing at the age of five and won his first national competition at age eight.
Skiing career
Stenmark made his World Cup debut in December 1973 at age 17. At the time of his retirement, he had won more international races than any other alpine skier to date: he took 86 World Cup wins (46 giant slaloms and 40 slaloms). He has since been passed by Mikaela Shiffrin. Stenmark won only in the two technical disciplines: slalom and giant slalom (the other events are downhill, super-G, first run in December 1982, and combined). He prioritized these disciplines over the high-speed downhill events, preferring to master the intricacies of skiing technique. His trainer, Hermann Nogler, once observed, "I watched him. He was always trying to find a better way, a smoother way, a faster way through the gates." He rarely competed in the other disciplines, as he was not comfortable with speeds in excess of 120 km/h (75 mph). He won first place overall in the 1976 World Cup, becoming the first Scandinavian to do so, his first of three straight World Cup titles (1976–78). Stenmark still holds the record for the biggest win margin in a World Cup alpine race: 4.06 seconds ahead of 2nd placed Bojan Križaj in Jasna on 4 February 1979. Stenmark was known as a quiet champion, with short, but polite, responses to media questions.
For his three straight World Cup titles (1976–78), Stenmark earned the Holmenkollen medal in 1979 (shared with Erik Håker and Raisa Smetanina). Stenmark also earned the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal twice (1975, 1978). His 1978 medal was shared with tennis player Björn Borg, making them the only two men to ever win the honor twice (female alpine skier Anja Pärson received the medal in 2006 and 2007). Additionally, Stenmark stands alone as the only male skier to win eight World Cup titles in a single discipline – both in slalom and giant slalom. After 1978, Stenmark didn't win any more overall World Cup titles (finishing second five times) mainly due to a regulatory change introduced to encourage versatility, and allegedly to contain his excessive power in the technical disciplines.
At the World Championships in 1978 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen West Germany, Stenmark won the slalom by two-thirds of a second and the giant slalom by over two seconds, and successfully defended both world titles at the Winter Olympics in 1980 at Lake Placid, which also were counted as world championships. At the next worlds in 1982 in Austria, he had a sub-standard first run in the giant slalom and was upset by American Steve Mahre and settled for silver. Stenmark rebounded in the slalom and became the first to win the same title in three consecutive world championships. At age 25, it was his final medal in a major competition.
Stenmark's exploits led to him being described as the "slalom king" meaning that when he was not allowed to participate in the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo by the International Ski Federation (FIS) for accepting promotional payments directly, rather than through the national ski federation, it was a major blow to the Swedish team's medal hopes. Hanni Wenzel of Liechtenstein was also banned; both were double gold medalists in 1980. Marc Girardelli, who was the best slalom racer during the 1983–84 season, was also banned for other reasons. Stenmark returned to Olympic competition in 1988 but was past his prime and did not medal despite achieving the fastest second run of the slalom competition.
He retired from World Cup competition at the end of the 1989 season in March, days before his 33rd birthday. At that time, he held the all-time record for World Cup race wins (86) and race podiums (155), records which stood for over 30 years until both were broken by Mikaela Shiffrin in the 2020s (wins in 2023; podiums in 2025).
Later life
During the years from 1976 to 1978 Stenmark, along with tennis player Björn Borg, became a national icon in Sweden. This was not changed by the fact that he moved to Monaco in 1980 for tax reasons. At age 40, he won the Swedish Superstars championship in 1996. On 26 December 2004, Stenmark survived the Indian Ocean earthquake while on vacation in Thailand. In 2015, he was a celebrity dancer on the Let's Dance 2015, where he teamed up with professional dancer Cecilia Ehrling.
He serves as an ambassador for the Börje Salming ALS Foundation, named after his close friend and Swedish ice hockey player who died of ALS in 2022.
Stenmark switched to the pole vault and competes in masters athletics. He participated in the 2024 World Masters Athletics Championships, where he jumped three meters and placed tenth overall.
Personal life
Stenmark was married to Ann Uvhagen, a Lufthansa airline hostess, 1984–1987. They have a child, born 1984.
World Cup results
Season titles
- 19 titles – (3 overall, 8 GS, 8 SL)
| Overall | Slalom | Giant slalom |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 1977 1978 | 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1983 | 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1984 |
| 3 | 8 | 8 |
Season standings
| Season | Age | Overall | Slalom | Giant slalom | Super-G | Downhill | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 17 | 12 | 6 | — | not run | — | not awarded |
| 1975 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | ||
| 1976 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| 1977 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | not awarded | |
| 1978 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | ||
| 1979 | 22 | 5 | 1 | 1 | — | ||
| 1980 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| 1981 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 15 | |
| 1982 | 25 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | |
| 1983 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 2 | not awarded (w/ GS) | — | 23 |
| 1984 | 27 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| 1985 | 28 | 6 | 3 | 10 | — | 25 | |
| 1986 | 29 | 5 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 1987 | 30 | 6 | 2 | 7 | — | — | — |
| 1988 | 31 | 21 | 16 | 9 | — | — | — |
| 1989 | 32 | 17 | 21 | 4 | — | — | — |
Race victories
86 wins – (46 GS, 40 SL), 155 podiums
| Season | Date | Location | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 17 December 1974 | Madonna di Campiglio, Italy | Slalom |
| 12 January 1975 | Wengen, Switzerland | Slalom | |
| 21 February 1975 | Naeba, Japan | Giant slalom | |
| 2 March 1975 | Garibaldi (Whistler), Canada | Giant slalom | |
| 13 March 1975 | Sun Valley, USA | Giant slalom | |
| 1976 | 15 December 1975 | Sterzing / Vipiteno, Italy | Slalom |
| 11 January 1976 | Wengen, Switzerland | Slalom | |
| 24 January 1976 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Slalom | |
| 27 January 1976 | Zwiesel, West Germany | Giant slalom | |
| 7 March 1976 | Copper Mountain, USA | Slalom | |
| 14 March 1976 | Aspen, USA | Slalom | |
| 1977 | 3 January 1977 | Laax, Switzerland | Slalom |
| 10 January 1977 | Berchtesgaden, W. Germany | Slalom | |
| 16 January 1977 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Slalom | |
| 23 January 1977 | Wengen, Switzerland | Slalom | |
| 6 February 1977 | St. Anton, Austria | Slalom | |
| 6 March 1977 | Sun Valley, USA | Giant slalom | |
| 18 March 1977 | Voss, Norway | Slalom | |
| 20 March 1977 | Åre, Sweden | Slalom | |
| 21 March 1977 | Giant slalom | ||
| 25 March 1977 | Sierra Nevada, Spain | Giant slalom | |
| 1978 | 10 December 1977 | Val d'Isère, France | Giant slalom |
| 13 December 1977 | Madonna di Campiglio, Italy | Slalom | |
| 14 December 1977 | Giant slalom | ||
| 5 January 1978 | Oberstaufen, West Germany | Slalom | |
| 8 January 1978 | Zwiesel, West Germany | Giant slalom | |
| 9 January 1978 | Slalom | ||
| 18 March 1978 | Arosa, Switzerland | Giant slalom | |
| 1979 | 9 December 1978 | Schladming, Austria | Giant slalom |
| 21 December 1978 | Kranjska Gora, Yugoslavia | Slalom | |
| 22 December 1978 | Giant slalom | ||
| 7 January 1979 | Courchevel, France | Giant slalom | |
| 16 January 1979 | Adelboden, Switzerland | Giant slalom | |
| 23 January 1979 | Steinach, Austria | Giant slalom | |
| 4 February 1979 | Jasná, Czechoslovakia | Giant slalom | |
| 10 February 1979 | Åre, Sweden | Giant slalom | |
| 11 February 1979 | Slalom | ||
| 4 March 1979 | Lake Placid, USA | Giant slalom | |
| 12 March 1979 | Heavenly Valley, USA | Giant slalom | |
| 17 March 1979 | Furano, Japan | Slalom | |
| 19 March 1979 | Giant slalom | ||
| 1980 | 8 December 1979 | Val d'Isère, France | Giant slalom |
| 11 December 1979 | Madonna di Campiglio, Italy | Slalom | |
| 12 December 1979 | Giant slalom | ||
| 21 January 1980 | Adelboden, Switzerland | Giant slalom | |
| 27 January 1980 | Chamonix, France | Slalom | |
| 27 February 1980 | Waterville Valley, USA | Slalom | |
| 1 March 1980 | Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada | Giant slalom | |
| 10 March 1980 | Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy | Slalom | |
| 11 March 1980 | Giant slalom | ||
| 13 March 1980 | Saalbach, Austria | Giant slalom | |
| 15 March 1980 | Slalom | ||
| 1981 | 9 December 1980 | Madonna di Campiglio, Italy | Slalom |
| 10 December 1980 | Giant slalom | ||
| 6 January 1981 | Morzine, France | Giant slalom | |
| 18 January 1981 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Slalom | |
| 26 January 1981 | Adelboden, Switzerland | Giant slalom | |
| 1 February 1981 | St. Anton, Austria | Slalom | |
| 2 February 1981 | Schladming, Austria | Giant slalom | |
| 8 February 1981 | Oslo, Norway | Slalom | |
| 11 February 1981 | Voss, Norway | Giant slalom | |
| 14 February 1981 | Åre, Sweden | Giant slalom | |
| 1982 | 9 January 1982 | Morzine, France | Giant slalom |
| 12 January 1982 | Bad Wiessee, West Germany | Slalom | |
| 17 January 1982 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Slalom | |
| 19 January 1982 | Adelboden, Switzerland | Giant slalom | |
| 9 February 1982 | Kirchberg, Austria | Giant slalom | |
| 1983 | 14 December 1982 | Courmayeur, Italy | Slalom |
| 23 January 1983 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Slalom | |
| 11 February 1983 | Markstein, France | Slalom | |
| 13 February 1983 | Todtnau, West Germany | Giant slalom | |
| 26 February 1983 | Gällivare, Sweden | Giant slalom | |
| 1984 | 13 December 1983 | Courmayeur, Italy | Slalom |
| 20 December 1983 | Madonna di Campiglio, Italy | Slalom | |
| 10 January 1984 | Adelboden, Switzerland | Giant slalom | |
| 17 January 1984 | Parpan, Switzerland | Slalom | |
| 23 January 1984 | Kirchberg, Austria | Giant slalom | |
| 4 February 1984 | Borovetz, Bulgaria | Giant slalom | |
| 7 March 1984 | Vail, USA | Giant slalom | |
| 1986 | 15 December 1985 | Alta Badia, Italy | Giant slalom |
| 25 January 1986 | St. Anton, Austria | Slalom | |
| 27 February 1986 | Hemsedal, Norway | Giant slalom | |
| 18 March 1986 | Lake Placid, USA | Giant slalom | |
| 1987 | 29 November 1986 | Sestriere, Italy | Slalom |
| 14 February 1987 | Markstein, France | Slalom | |
| 1989 | 19 February 1989 | Aspen, USA | Giant slalom |
Podiums
| Discipline | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slalom | 40 | 29 | 12 | 81 |
| Giant | 46 | 13 | 13 | 72 |
| Parallel | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Combined | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 86 | 43 | 26 | 155 |
World championship results
| Year | Age | Slalom | Giant slalom | Super-G | Downhill | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 17 | DNF | 9 | not run | — | — |
| 1976 | 19 | DNF2 | 3 | — | — | |
| 1978 | 21 | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| 1980 | 23 | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| 1982 | 25 | 1 | 2 | — | — | |
| 1985 | 28 | 4 | DNF | — | — | |
| 1987 | 30 | 5 | 10 | — | — | — |
| 1989 | 32 | DNF2 | 6 | — | — | — |
From 1948 through 1980, the Winter Olympics were also the World Championships for alpine skiing.
At the World Championships from 1954 through 1980, the combined was a "paper race" using the results of the three events (DH, GS, SL).
Olympic results
| Year | Age | Slalom | Giant slalom | Super-G | Downhill | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 19 | DNF2 | 3 | not run | — | not run |
| 1980 | 23 | 1 | 1 | — | ||
| 1984 | 27 | Banned | ||||
| 1988 | 31 | 5 | DNF2 | — | — | — |
- Stenmark and fellow reigning double Olympic champion Hanni Wenzel were banned from the 1984 Olympics for having accepted promotional payments directly, rather than through their national ski federations.
Other honours
- Jerring Award: 1979, 1980
- H. M. The King's Medal: 1978