|
Andy Newell
- 2006 U.S. Olympian in cross country
- Earned the first U.S. cross country World Cup podium since 1983, finishing third in the 1K freestyle sprint in China March 2006
- Scored the top U.S. result at the 2005 World Championships reaching the quarterfinals and placing 12th in the 1.5km sprint
- 2005 U.S. National Championships gold and silver medalist
- 2004 SuperTour sprint champion
- Placed 14th in the team sprint at the 2005 World Championships
- Won the inaugural 100 meter sprint event now known at the US100 in 2003 setting a world record for the distance with a time of 12.76 seconds
- Growing up with snowboarding friends, Newell would take his cross country skis to the halfpipe to do tricks … breaks 10 pairs of skis a year trying new stunts and has hit trees, torn muscles in his back and coughed up blood
- “One of my favorite tricks is just doing huge laid out back flips,” Newell told fasterskier.com. “Last season I was working on a new trick, the dinner roll (a 360 back flip) and I landed one for the first time at the end of the year. I was pumped.”
- Started skiing at age 3 when his skier parents strapped the skis on him in the backyard
- Runs a company called XSki Film, which producers freestyle cross country films
- Leader of a group of cross country skiers known as the Vermont Militia or V.T.M. – mantra of the group: “I’m from Vermont; I do what I want
- Enjoys skateboarding and surfing – has surfed in 39 degree water off the New Hampshire coast
Newell has an amazing speed when he has his skis strapped on. Ranked the top sprinter in the world as a junior, Newell has finished in the top-10 at the Junior World Championship sprint event in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Since winning his first Continental Cup event in 2001, he has won five more Continental Cup events. Newell’s coaches are helping him learn the tactics and tricks behind racing. “This is a tough course with a lot of climbs, but Andy showed again he’s got the speed to go with the big guys, and now he’s learning the tactics for pack racing...and that just takes racing,” Head Coach Trond Nystad said about the Otepaeae World Cup race to skitrax.com. “He’s getting there...and Torin [Koos] was close, so they keep moving forward.”
Related Links
Tip: Andy’s Newell’s tips on how to land a back flip on cross country skis
On competing at the 2005 World Championships: "It was fun to butt heads with the big dogs," he said to usskiteam.com.
|
Height: 5’ 10”
Born: 11/30/1983
Hometown: Bennington, Vt.
Resides: Shaftsbury, Vt.
Sport: Cross Country Skiing
Event: Sprint, Team Sprint
|
|
|
