Karina Hollekim
- A successful author, extreme athlete, and performance consultant
- First and only woman to combine skiing and BASE jumping
- Learned to walk again after a prediction that she would be confined to a wheelchair due to a skydiving accident
- An award-winning biographical documentary encapsulates her life, her accident, and journey back to health
Life has not always been sunshine and roses for imminently successful Norwegian skier and BASE jumper Karina Hollekim. She knows what if feels like to reach the pinnacle of success and have it taken away from her in a few minutes.
Karina, as a child, used to dream of flying like a bird. Skiing with her father as a young child gave her this feeling. She went on to follow her dream and passion and started a career as a professional skier and BASE jumper. Her success led to her becoming the first, and only, woman to combine skiing and BASE jumping. Her success led to sponsorships, taking part in competitions, appearing in films and magazines, and various documentaries. Life was perfect. And then things changed – dramatically.
Life, for Karina Hollekim, made a turn-around when, at the August 2006 paragliding World Cup, her parachute did not open properly. This resulted in her spinning towards the earth at sixty miles per hour with no way of halting or slowing her descent. She crashed into the ground, hitting a rock as she did so. Her legs were broken in twenty-one places. Karina was told that she would never walk again.
Karina, however, despite what she was told, was determined to heal. She had always lived for challenges. She now faced the biggest challenge of her life.
With much determination, and despite serious infections and twenty operations later, Karina not only learned to walk again, but has gone on to once more take part in skiing and living her life of sport and adventure.
Karina put down her story in her successful autobiography, “The Wonderful Feeling of Fear”. An award-winning biographical documentary “20 Seconds of Joy” also encapsulates her life, her accident, and her extraordinary comeback.
Karina Hollekim – Speaker
Karina Hollekim has, since her accident, become a sought-after speaker, coach, and performance consultant. Her clients include professional athletes and top business executives. Her main focus is on how to harness setbacks, push boundaries, remaining focused on your goals, and exploiting the lessons encountered during hardship in order to win.
Speaking Topics
Europe 