Rookie US Skier Aims for Olympic Glory

09 February 2010

Andrew Weibrecht of the United States, skis the downhill part of the men's World Cup super combined ski race in the fifth best time in Beaver Creek, Colorado, 4 Dec. 2009

At every Olympics, new athletes step into the spotlight of elite competition. Some leave barely noticed while others capture the imagination as surprise medal winners. American Andrew Weibrecht, 24 and a first-time Olympian, has a chance to finish ahead of many Alpine ski veterans.

Andrew Weibrecht grew up in a great place to learn skiing. Weibrecht was born six years after the 1980 Lake Placid games in New York. But the spirit of those Olympics always remained close as he developed early skills at the demanding Whiteface Mountain venue.

"Whiteface is super steep. And it has ever-changing conditions," he said. "So I kind of learned to ski a little bit of everything. And to really figure out how to make it down the ski pitches and control myself. That has shown through to be my definite strength."

Starting out as a technical skier, Whiteface also gave Weibrecht the chance to gradually increase his speed. The mountain boasts the steepest vertical drop of any course in the eastern United States. And that helped instill a confidence Weibrecht needs to conquer some of the best slopes in the world.

"Even on the tamest of courses, you are still going about 80 miles an hour [128 km/h] probably. And bad things can happen really quickly," he said. "That is kind of the coolest thing for me, standing in the start, always being nervous. And then feeling that sort of sense of calm that comes as soon as you push out of the gate."