Knut ("Kupper'n") Johannesen (born 6 November 1933) is a former speed skater from Norway.

For his achievements, he received the 1959 Oscar Mathisen Award and was elected Norwegian Sportsperson of the Year in 1960.

[1] Johannesen also set a total of four world records over the course of his career, the most famous of which was his 15:46.6 on the 10,000 m at the 1960 Olympics.

The Soviet-Russian skaters Nikolay Shtelbaums and Vladimir Shilykovsky had earlier improved on the equally famous 1952 world record 16.32.6 of Hjalmar Andersen, but his time of 15:46.6, along with Kjell Bäckman's time of 16:14.2 from an earlier pair, was the first officially recognised world record achievement since 1952.

Beside skating, Johannesen worked as a carpenter and later ran a gas station.