Kai was born with vaulting in his blood, as his mother was the head coach of the vaulting department of the club RG grain Springer Cologne as Kai arrived into the world in 1981. Until the age of eleven, Kai actually dreamed of becoming a famous dressage rider until he had a lightbulb moment that switched his goal from dressage to vaulting. From that moment forward Kai was commited to vaulting or what he otherwise refers to as "a beautiful sport". In 1992 Kai watched the World Vaulting Championships with his mother and saw the World Champion team from Neuss, the female World Champion Barbara Strobeland the incomparable vaulter of all time, Christoph Lensing!!!From that day, Kai set his heart on representing his country as part of the national team.
By 1993 Kai was the reserve vaulter for the first team and then after some competitions as part of the second team, got his call-up for the national squad in 1994. In 1996 Kai was a member of the 6th placed team at the National German Championships. In 1997 and 1998, Kai's team were German Vice Champions. Kai also won the individual Silver medal and became individual Vice- European Champion in his first year competing as an individual senior!
A summary of Kai's major successes to date are listed below:
2 x World Champion (2004 and 2006)
2 x European Champion (2005 and 2007)
7 x German Champion (2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009)
4 x Vice-European Champion, Vice World Champion 2008
11 medals at World or European Championships
Leader of the World Ranking List for more than 3 years
10 x County Champion of Rhineland
From 1997 onwards, qualified very year for the International Championships
4 x Winner of CHIO Aachen
6 x Winner of CVI** Wiesbaden (only individual)
Winner of a range of International Vaulting Championships