SKIERS from Croatia

Top 4

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Croatian Skiers of all time. This list of famous Croatian Skiers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. Janica Kostelić (b. 1982)

With an HPI of 48.79, Janica Kostelić is the most famous Croatian Skier.  Her biography has been translated into 44 different languages on wikipedia.

Janica Kostelić (Croatian pronunciation: [janitsa kostelitɕ]; born 5 January 1982) is a Croatian former alpine ski racer. She is a four-time Olympic gold medalist. In addition to the Olympics, she won five gold medals at the World Championships. In World Cup competition, she won thirty individual races, three overall titles, three slalom titles, and four combined titles. Kostelic's accomplishments in professional skiing have led some commentators, writers, and fellow ski racers to regard her as the greatest female ski racer of all time.

2. Ivica Kostelić (b. 1979)

With an HPI of 45.50, Ivica Kostelić is the 2nd most famous Croatian Skier.  His biography has been translated into 32 different languages.

Ivica Kostelić (pronounced [ˈiʋitsa ˈkɔstɛlitɕ]; born 23 November 1979) is a Croatian former alpine ski racer. He specialized in slalom and combined, but was also one of the few alpine World Cup ski racers able to score points in all disciplines. He is the brother of skiing champion Janica Kostelić. In his career he was coached by his father Ante Kostelić, as well as by Kristian Ghedina and Tomislav Krstičević.

3. Filip Zubčić (b. 1993)

With an HPI of 32.89, Filip Zubčić is the 3rd most famous Croatian Skier.  His biography has been translated into 18 different languages.

Filip Zubčić (Croatian pronunciation: [fǐlip zǔptʃitɕ]; born 27 January 1993) is a Croatian World Cup alpine ski racer and specializes in giant slalom. Born in Zagreb, he has competed for Croatia in three Winter Olympics and six World Championships. Zubčić was third in the giant slalom season standings in 2020 and season standings in 2021, and fifth overall.

4. Natko Zrnčić-Dim (b. 1986)

With an HPI of 27.30, Natko Zrnčić-Dim is the 4th most famous Croatian Skier.  His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Natko Zrnčić-Dim (Croatian pronunciation: [nǎtko zr̩̂ːntʃitɕ]; born 7 March 1986) is a Croatian alpine ski coach and retired World Cup skier. He won a bronze medal in super combined at the World Championships in 2009 at Val-d'Isère, France, and is a member of SK Medveščak. Born in Zagreb, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia, Zrnčić-Dim's best World Cup result is second place in a super combined, achieved on 30 January 2011 in Chamonix, France. Compatriot Ivica Kostelić won that race, his seventh of the month, and marked the first time that Croatians finished first and second in a World Cup race. Zrnčić-Dim incurred shoulder injury in a super-G at Beaver Creek in early December 2012, which ended his 2013 season. Through mid-January 2014, he has five World Cup podiums, all in combined events. He is one of rare downhill specialists who was able to qualify into second run of slalom. He has done it three times; all were in Wengen, having best result of 18th place in 2010. In 2019 he announced his retirement from active competing, due to unsuccessful comeback after injury in November 2016. His last World Cup race was a combined in Bansko on 22 February 2019. Since the start of 2019/20 season, he coaches Rea Hraski to prepare for the 2019 Winter Deaflympics.