| Rank | Event | Year | Location | Result |
| Olympic Games | ||||
| 1 | Kayak Single (K1) 1000m | 2004 | Athens, GRE | 3:25.897 |
| 2 | Kayak Single (K1) 1000m | 2008 | Beijing, CHN | 3:27.342 |
| 3 | Kayak Double (K2) 1000m | 2004 | Athens, GRE | 3:19.528 |
| 4 | Kayak Single (K1) 500m | 2008 | Beijing, CHN | 1:37.949 |
| 4 | Kayak Single (K1) 500m | 2004 | Athens, GRE | 1:38.667 |
| 9 | Kayak Double (K2) 1000m | 2000 | Sydney, NSW, AUS | 3:20.515 |
| Semifinal | Kayak Double (K2) 500m | 2000 | Sydney, NSW, AUS | 1:34.712 |
| World Championships | ||||
| 1 | Kayak Single (K1) 1000m | 2005 | Zagreb, CRO | 3:29.165 |
| 1 | Kayak Single (K1) 1000m | 2002 | Seville, ESP | 3:27.586 |
| 1 | Kayak Double (K2) 1000m | 2001 | Poznan, POL | 3:16.685 |
| 2 | Kayak Double (K2) 1000m | 2002 | Seville, ESP | 3:13.691 |
| 3 | Kayak Single (K1) 1000m | 2011 | Szeged, HUN | 3:39.818 |
| 3 | Kayak Single (K1) 1000m | 2007 | Duisburg, GER | 3:41.645 |
| 5 | Kayak Double (K2) 1000m | 2009 | Dartmouth, NS, CAN | 3:17.725 |
| 12 | Kayak Single (K1) 5000m | 2011 | Szeged, HUN | 21:15.434 |
| Final B | Kayak Double (K2) 500m | 2009 | Dartmouth, NS, CAN | 1:32.301 |
| European Championships | ||||
| 1 | Kayak Double (K2) 1000m | 2009 | Brandenburg, GER | 3:12.864 |
| 2 | Kayak Single (K1) 5000m | 2011 | Belgrade, SRB | 20:45.966 |
| 4 | Kayak Single (K1) 1000m | 2012 | Zagreb, CRO | 3:31.610 |
| 5 | Kayak Single (K1) 1000m | 2011 | Belgrade, SRB | 3:26.157 |
| 9 | Kayak Double (K2) 500m | 2009 | Brandenburg, GER | 1:30.498 |
| World Cup | ||||
| 2 | Kayak Single (K1) 1000m | 2012 | Poznan, POL | 3:42.677 |
| 2 | Kayak Single (K1) 1000m | 2011 | Poznan, POL | 3:42.805 |
| 2 | Kayak Double (K2) 500m | 2009 | Szeged, HUN | 1:35.099 |
| 2 | Kayak Double (K2) 1000m | 2009 | Poznan, POL | 3:14.617 |
| 3 | Kayak Single (K1) 1000m | 2012 | Duisburg, GER | 3:26.906 |
| 3 | Kayak Single (K1) 1000m | 2011 | Szeged, HUN | 3:39.818 |
| 3 | Kayak Single (K1) 1000m | 2011 | Duisburg, GER | 3:28.014 |
| 3 | Kayak Double (K2) 500m | 2009 | Poznan, POL | 1:32.004 |
| World Cup (Ranking) | ||||
| 3 | Individual Kayak | 2011 | 26 | |
Hobbies
Cooking and hunting. (veraaslarsen.com, 21 Feb 2012)
Education
Human Movement Studies - Norwegian University of Sport & Physical Education , Oslo, NOR
Family
Wife Mira.
Language(s) spoken
English
Club name
Flekkefjord Kajakklubb, Flekkefjord, NOR
Handedness
Right (Athlete, 13 Oct 2005)
Debut
1996 for Norway, World Championships Marathon (Sweden) (Athlete, 11 Aug 2005)
Additional information
Start of sporting career
He took up canoeing at age 10 in his hometown of Flekkefjord on the south coast of Norway. (veraaslarsen.com, 21 Feb 2012)
Reason for taking up this sport
One of his neighbours in Flekkefjord introduced him to the sport. He immediately liked the sport and was proud to be part of a club that already had some world champions. (veraaslarsen.com, 21 Feb 2012)
Most memorable sporting achievement
Winning gold in K1 1000m at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. (veraaslarsen.com, 21 Feb 2012)
Hero
Norway's multiple world and Olympic Games champion canoer Knut Holmann. (canoe-europe.org, 21 Nov 2011)
Most influential person in career
His coach when he first started the sport, 1975 [K4 10,000m] and 1979 [K2 1000m] world champion Olaf Soyland, because he taught him that it was possible to become one of the best, even though he was from a little town in Norway. Also credits coach Orjan Madson and Hungary's double K2 world champion Zoltan Bako as having major influences on his career. (veraaslarsen.com, 21 Feb 2012)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"Nothing is impossible, some things are just a little bit more difficult." (Athlete, 11 Aug 2008)
General
HUNTER
In the Norwegian autumn he likes to hunt for deer, mountain grouse and ducks, even combining his two loves on occasion. "I have hunted for ducks from the kayak, which is a special experience," he said. (veraaslarsen.com, 21 Feb 2012)
COMEBACK
After the 2009 season, he decided to have a break from the sport and not race in 2010. He cited he had attained his goals with gold medals at the Olympics and World Championships, and needed time to decide whether to go for another Olympics.
On 18th August 2010 he announced to a Norwegian newspaper, that he was ready to make a comeback and have a go for the Olympics. (dagbladet.no, 18 Aug 2010)
Previous Olympics
Beijing 2008, Athens 2004, Sydney 2000
