Kris Holm
Encyclopedia
Kris Holm is a Canadian best known for riding a unicycle in off-road conditions. Kris has ridden since 1986 and is considered one of the pioneers of off-road unicycling, and is the world's best-known unicyclist. He is the founder of competitive unicycle trials (unicycle obstacle riding) and was the 2005 European, 2002 World, and 1999 North American unicycle trials champion. He also held the unicycle sidehop world record from 1998-2004 (since broken), and performed trials demonstrations with the Norco Factory Trials Team from 1998-2006. Kris founded Kris Holm Unicycles (KHU), his own brand of unicycles. Early models were prone to failure and breakages were common. KHU was also first cycling brand (bike or unicycle) to join One Percent for the Planet, donating 1% of sales to support environmental conservation. KHU is now distributed around the world. KHU also sponsors a Factory Team, and offers the Evolution of Balance Award, a grant awarded annually to a team proposing a creative mountain unicycling adventure.
Kris has ridden off-road in many countries, including the summit of the highest mountain in Central America, the summit of the 3rd highest mountain in North America, trade-routes across the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, and on the Great Wall of China. In 2006, Kris climbed and attempted a unicycle descent of Licancabur, a 5950 m volcano in Bolivia. In 2010, Kris competed against bikes in the 7-day BC Bike Race, becoming the first unicyclist to reach the podium in a major mountain bike race, with a 3rd place finish (Men’s Solo, Challenge Category) on Stage 5.
Kris was the first rider to bring mountain unicycling to a mainstream audience through film, television, and magazine features, and has been an outspoken advocate for public awareness of his sport. He has appeared in over 200 media features since 1998, including 13 films screened at mountain film festivals and festival tours. This exposure caused a major increase in the worldwide popularity of unicycling. His film, Into the Thunder Dragon, was named “One of the Top Twenty Adventure DVD’s of All Time” in the December 2005 issue of Men’s Journal. He has also been featured in many mainstream print publications, including Sports Illustrated Adventure, Men’s Journal, Men’s Fitness, ESPN Magazine, and National Geographic Adventure.
Kris graduated with a M.Sc. from the University of British Columbia
in 2002, and works as a professional geoscientist in addition to managing his unicycling brand. He lives with his wife in Vancouver, Canada.
Kris has ridden off-road in many countries, including the summit of the highest mountain in Central America, the summit of the 3rd highest mountain in North America, trade-routes across the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, and on the Great Wall of China. In 2006, Kris climbed and attempted a unicycle descent of Licancabur, a 5950 m volcano in Bolivia. In 2010, Kris competed against bikes in the 7-day BC Bike Race, becoming the first unicyclist to reach the podium in a major mountain bike race, with a 3rd place finish (Men’s Solo, Challenge Category) on Stage 5.
Kris was the first rider to bring mountain unicycling to a mainstream audience through film, television, and magazine features, and has been an outspoken advocate for public awareness of his sport. He has appeared in over 200 media features since 1998, including 13 films screened at mountain film festivals and festival tours. This exposure caused a major increase in the worldwide popularity of unicycling. His film, Into the Thunder Dragon, was named “One of the Top Twenty Adventure DVD’s of All Time” in the December 2005 issue of Men’s Journal. He has also been featured in many mainstream print publications, including Sports Illustrated Adventure, Men’s Journal, Men’s Fitness, ESPN Magazine, and National Geographic Adventure.
Kris graduated with a M.Sc. from the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
in 2002, and works as a professional geoscientist in addition to managing his unicycling brand. He lives with his wife in Vancouver, Canada.
Video appearances
- One Tired Guy (film short compilation)
- One Tired Guy (film festival edit)
- Skilletto (film short)
- Whitetrax (film short)
- Unizaba (film short)
- Unizaba (adapted for National Geographic television)
- Fat Tire Fury (film short)
- Drunk in Public
- Into The Thunder Dragon (film and TV episode)
- Universe (action video segment)
- Universe 2 (action video segment)
- Defect (action video segment)
- Revolution One (film short)
- Revolution One (feature film)
- New World Disorder (I and II)
- North Shore Extreme (II, III, and IV)
- The video clip of the single J.D Davis Life in the Extreme (edited from previous footage)
Select Media appearances
- Various TV features (Ripley's Believe It Or Not!, You Gotta See This, Rekord Fieber, More than Human, World Fantastic Heros, National Geographic, various news broadcasts, various)
- Various Magazines (Bike, Mountain Bike, Mountain Bike Downhill, Dirt Rag, Outside, ESPN, Men's Fitness, GQ, Stuff, FHM, Outdoor Photographer, National Geographic Adventure, Sports Illustrated Adventure, various)
Select Film Festival appearances
- Banff Mountain Film Festival and World Tour (USA, International) (2000 - Skilletto; 2001 - Unizaba, Fat Tire Fury; 2002 - Whitetrax; 2009 - Revolution One)
- Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival and Tour (Canada) (2000 - Skilletto; 2001 - Unizaba; 2002 - Into the Thunder Dragon; 2009 - Revolution One, 2011 - Multimedia)
- Telluride Mountain Film Festival and Tour (USA) (2000 - Skilletto; 2001 - Unizaba, Fat Tire Fury; 2002 - Whitetrax; 2009 - Revolution One))
- Tube (X-Games) Film Festival (USA) (2000 - Universe)
- Grand Rapids Film Festival (USA) - (2010 - Into the Thunder Dragon)
- Budapest Mountain Film Festival (Hungary) (2003 - Into the Thunder Dragon)
- Victoria Mountain Bike Film Festival (Canada) (2001 - Unizaba)
- Outside Magazine Film Festival Tour (USA) (2001 - Into the Thunder Dragon)
- Kathmandu Film Festival (Nepal) (2002 - Into the Thunder Dragon)
- X-Dance Film Festival (USA) (2001 - New World Disorder)
- 5-Point Film Festival (USA) (2009 - Revolution One)
- Kendall Film Festival (UK) (2002 - Into The Thunder Dragon, 2010 - Revolution One)
- Moscow International Film Festival (Russia) (2003 - Unizaba, Into The Thunder Dragon)
- Hory a Mesto Film Festival (Slovakia) (2003 - Whitetrax, Into the Thunder Dragon)
- Climb for Yosemite Film Festival (USA) (2003 - Into the Thunder Dragon)
- Taos Mountain Film Festival (USA) (2001 - New World Disorder, 2003 - Into the Thunder Dragon; 2009 - Revolution One)
- Bike in Film Film Festival (USA) (2005 - One Tired Guy)
- Harmony Arts Festival (Canada) (2006 - Into the Thunder Dragon)
- Williamstown Mountain Film Festival (USA) (2009 - Revolution One)
- AdventureFilm Film Festival (USA) (2009 - Revolution One)
- Schaff Mountain Film Festival (UK) (2009 - Revolution One)
- Kalamazoo Film Festival (USA) (2010 - Revolution One)
- Moving Adventures Film Festival Tour (European Union) (2003 - One Tired Guy)