SKIERS from Kazakhstan

Top 5

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

1. Vladimir Smirnov (b. 1964)

With an HPI of 47.23, Vladimir Smirnov is the most famous Kazakhstani Skier.  His biography has been translated into 23 different languages on wikipedia.

Vladimir Mikhaylovich Smirnov (Russian: Влади́мир Миха́йлович Смирно́в; born 7 March 1964) is a Kazakh former cross-country skier of Russian descent who raced from the 1982 until 1991 for the USSR and, later, for Kazakhstan. He is the first Olympic champion from independent Kazakhstan and the most decorated Olympian in history of Kazakhstan. He is also a vice president of the International Biathlon Union. Smirnov is a former member of International Olympic Committee.

2. Zinaida Amosova (b. 1950)

With an HPI of 40.22, Zinaida Amosova is the 2nd most famous Kazakhstani Skier.  Her biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Zinaida Stepanovna Amosova (Russian: Зинаида Степановна Амосова) (born 12 January 1950 in Krupskaya kolkhoz, Talaz District, Dzhambul Oblast, Kazakh SSR) is a former Soviet cross-country skier who competed from 1976 to 1983, training at the Armed Forces sports society in Novosibirsk. She won a gold medal in the 4 × 5 km relay at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck. Amosova's biggest success was at the 1978 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships where she earned three medals. This included two golds (10 km, 20 km) and one bronze (4 × 5 km). Amosova was awarded Order of the Badge of Honor in 1976.

3. Alexey Poltoranin (b. 1987)

With an HPI of 32.29, Alexey Poltoranin is the 3rd most famous Kazakhstani Skier.  His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Alexey Yurevich Poltoranin (Kazakh: Алексей Юрьевич Полтаранин, born 29 April 1987) is a Kazakh cross-country skier who has competed at the international senior level since 2004. He has three World Cup wins, one in 2010 and two in 2013. In the 2013 World Championship in Val di Fiemme he won two bronze medals. Most of his best results are in the classic technique. At the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2019 Poltoranin was one of five athletes caught doping by Bundeskriminalamt in a police raid in Seefeld, Austria. He was arrested before the start of the 15 kilometre classical race. He admitted to using blood doping. His wife is biathlete Olga Poltoranina.

4. Nikolay Chebotko (1982 - 2021)

With an HPI of 29.61, Nikolay Chebotko is the 4th most famous Kazakhstani Skier.  His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Nikolay Sergeyevich Chebotko (Russian: Николай Сергеевич Чеботько, 25 October 1982 – 24 January 2021) was a Kazakhstani cross-country skier who competed from 2000, until his death. His best individual World Cup finish was fourth in a sprint event in Finland in 2013. Chebotko also competed in four Winter Olympics, earning his best finish of fifth in the team sprint event at Vancouver in 2010. His best finish at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships is bronze medal at Team sprint 2013. Chebotko died in a car accident near Borovoye on 24 January 2021.

5. Yuliya Galysheva (b. 1992)

With an HPI of 23.34, Yuliya Galysheva is the 5th most famous Kazakhstani Skier.  Her biography has been translated into 18 different languages.

Yulia Evgenievna Galysheva (Russian: Юлия Евгеньевна Галышева, born 23 October 1992) is a Kazakhstani mogul skier who won three medals at FIS Freestyle Ski World Championships, bronze medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic Games and two gold medals at the Asian Winter Games in 2011.