Under 23 Questions with Grant Andrews

Grant Andrews (Park City Nordic Ski Club) jumping in a Junior Worlds qualifier earlier this month in Park City. (Photo: USSA/Tom Kelly)

In an effort to showcase the North Americans competing at this week’s International Ski Federation (FIS) 2017 USANA Nordic Junior World Championships and U23 Cross Country World Championships at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah, we asked those qualifying athletes several questions about themselves — actually, we had them fill in the blanks. Here we have 19-year-old Grant Andrews, of the Park City Nordic Ski Club and U.S. Nordic Combined development group, who’s representing the U.S. at his first Junior Worlds.

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“My full name is Grant Andrews. I was born in and raised in Steamboat Springs, Colo., the best town in the USA to grow up as a Nordic Combined skier.

Grant Andrews (c) on the podium in first at home at the first Junior Worlds qualifier in Steamboat Springs, Colo., with Koby Vargas (l) in second and Tucker Hoefler (r) in third. (Photo: Courtesy photo) — Grant Andrews (c) on the podium in first at the first Junior Worlds qualifier at his home in Steamboat Springs, Colo., with Koby Vargas (l) in second and Tucker Hoefler (r) in third. (Photo: Courtesy photo)

I started skiing when I was three and jumping when I was eight, thanks to my dad introducing me to the sport. I currently train in Park City, Utah, with the Park City Nordic Ski Club and lived in Europe for three months this fall for a training camp with the U.S. Ski Team members.

If I’m not skiing, you might not find me unless you’re with my friends and teammates. If I had to pick a favorite book, it would be ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows‘.

One of the things I’m most excited about for U23/Junior Worlds at Soldier Hollow is the hometown advantage. One race I’m especially targeting there is 10 k NC race.

The best advice anyone ever gave me about skiing or racing is to only worry about yourself.
One of the best race memories I have is winning the Steamboat Springs World Junior qualifier this last December after feeling overtrained the few weeks before.

If I could meet one World Cup skier, it would be Jarl Riiber.

If I don’t end up being a professional skier, I’ll probably end up being a pilot, nothing beats flying.

I’m missing zero days of school to be here because I graduated in January last year.

You can follow me on Instagram @grant_andrews_.”