US Ski Team Athlete spotlight: Andy Newell
Thu, May 26, 2011 - By US Ski Team
Two-time Olympian Andy Newell is ranked among the top sprinters in the world. After his best season in 2010, Newell began building experience and confidence, and he has gone on to post the best American results internationally - including the first U.S. podium in more than two decades. But there is more to Andy than his competition results. We caught up with Andy to learn a little more about the man behind the cross country machine.
Name: Andy Newell
Sport: Cross country skiing
Hometown: Shaftsbury, Vermont
How/when did you decide you wanted to compete: I started competing really young, like around five, but didn't know I really wanted to pursue skiing as a career until I was 15 or 16 at the Stratton Mountain School.
What has been the biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Three World Cup podiums.
Goals for next season: To win a World Cup! I've never done that, so to be able to stand on the top of the podium is a huge goal.
Favorite snow destination: Oslo, Norway because you can feel the power of 100,000 spectators. It's pretty incredible.
Favorite non-snow destination: If I'm in the states Weston, VT. That's where I built a cabin and where most of my buddies live. For surf, probably Costa Rica pacific coast.
If you weren't a professional athlete, what would you be?: I really enjoy building so maybe some type of carpenter, anything that would keep me outside and away from a desk.
Time you've been most scared in your life: That's a tough one because I like being scared. Probably when I was 17 and moved to Park City to train with the team. That was young to be living on my own and I didn't know what to expect joining the U.S. Ski Team.
Biggest vice: Late nights with my buddies. They like to get rowdy and know all the right things to say to keep me from going home and sleeping.
Biggest pet peeve: Guys who where wear shoes. Random, I know.
Advice to others who want to follow in your footsteps: Stick with it and train hard. It takes so much training to make it to the top in cross country skiing that you have to have patience, so making sure you're having fun is so important.
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