Andy Newell: Surfing into another season
FasterSkierApril 26, 2007.jpg width=260 height=343 border=1><br />
<font size=1 face=verdana>(Fischer USA photo)</font></center></p>
<p><B>1. What are you up to this spring? </B><br />
This spring has been really busy so far. I was home for about 5 days in the beginning of April before we had a US Ski Team mini camp in Park City. Our coaches and sport science team wanted to test us at the end of the season to see how we maintained out fitness over the entire winter. The results were a little bit of a surprise. Pretty much everyone on the team was in the same or better shape at the end of the season then they were in October. So basically what this showed us was that if we’re losing any fitness before the “start†of the training year, it’s happening in April or early May. It’s cool that the Ski team staff is always trying new things like that.<br />
After the camp AJ, leif, and I went down to Mexico for a week with some other skiers. It was sick! House right on the beach with a pretty big point break right out front. Its good to be able to let loose at the end of the season a little bit. Paddling is not bad training either. </p>
<p><B>2. Can you give us brief summary of your season? Some of the highs and lows. </B><br />
This season was a blast. Racing world cups is a lot of fun when you can consistently be in the top 15. Each weekend is a new chance to prove yourself and rub shoulders with the best guys in the world. I was happy with the several top 10’s and the 5th at worlds, but I was a little bummed I didn’t get a win. It was a big goal for the season to win a world cup. To be able to stand on top of the podium and know you were the fasted guy in the world that day would be incredible. So a world cup win will be the number one goal for next year. </p>
<p><B>3. What is next year's planning looking like? </B><br />
Next years training is going to be similar to the past two years but with an increase in volume. I trained just over 700 hours this year and will be stepping it up to the 750 range. I feel like my endurance in the sprint rounds and while distance racing increased a lot this year, but I still have a long way to go. On the world cup we’re starting to see some of the top sprinters have great results in some of the shorter distance races. I want to get there some day. It’d be wicked to have a go at winning things like the Tour de Ski and the world cup overall. It’s also a career long goal for me to see the US win a medal in the relay. I know we can do it, so to be on that team would be awesome.</p>
<p><B>4. Any changes in training, incorporation of new workouts, etc?</B><br />
The only new stuff on the training front, besides an hours increase, is going to be a few different types of intervals. I’m going to throw in a few more longer threshold intervals, and longer level 4 ones. I’m hoping this will help me in the later rounds and in the distance races. The US ski team has been really innovative and structured in our approach to strength and speed for sprinting. Our coaches and sport science team are always looking at every detail and coming up with training ideas that no one else in the world is doing. If you look at the sprint team as a whole, these techniques are definitely working. So we’re going to continue with our minds open and try to shave off some seconds wherever we can.</p>
<p><B> 5. When is you next film coming out? </B><br />
It really sucks I haven’t been able to put out a new flick in the past couple years. Training has kind of taken priority over producing since the Olympics. I still make it out on the mountain a lot to hit jumps, but it’s hard to get the other VTM guys to pick up a video camera any more.<br />
Before the Olympics I was working on a documentary type movie that fallowed some of us throughout the year training and racing. I compiled a lot of good footage, but realized I just didn’t have the time to produce the kind of product I wanted. So what I’ve been doing over the past few months has been pitching this documentary idea to some bigger film companies to try to see if they are interested on taking on the project. So if there are any aspiring filmmakers out there that read this….. give me a shout. Until then, I’ll be working on some new tricks in the pipe. </p>
<p>Thanks Andy!</p>
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FasterSkierApril 26, 2007