Under 23 Questions with Wyatt Gebhardt

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 17-year-old Wyatt Gebhardt, of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, who’s representing the U.S. at his first Junior Worlds.

On Wednesday, Gebhardt placed 19th in the men’s 10-kilometer freestyle at Junior Worlds.

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“My full name is Wyatt Gebhardt, but you can call me Wyatt. I was born in Greeley, Colo., raised in Steamboat Springs, Colo., and one thing you should know about my hometown is we shot the biggest firework off in North America at the winter carnival.

I started cross-country skiing when I was two, thanks to Mom and Dad. I currently train in Steamboat Springs with SSWSC.

If I’m not skiing, you might find me backcountry skiing. If I had to pick a favorite book, it would be ‘A Long Way Gone.’

One of the things I’m most excited about for Junior Worlds at Soldier Hollow is the skiathlon race. One race I’m especially targeting there is 10 k freestyle.

The best advice anyone ever gave me about skiing or racing was always be sure to have fun. One of the best race memories I have is racing in Steamboat.

If I could meet one World Cup skier, it would be Stina Nilsson.

If I don’t end up being a professional skier, I’ll probably be a mechanic.

I’m missing seven days of school to be here.

You can follow me on Instagram @wyattcrosscountry.”