Andrew Newell was born in Bennington Vermont. After finishing high school and some post-grad work at Stratton Mountain School, he joined the US Ski Team as a nordic racer.
Newell has competed internationally since 2001. His best finish in the Olympics was 16th place in the sprint at Turin in 2006. In March of the same year, he won a bronze in a World Cup race in China. The medal was the first in over 20 years for an American Nordic skier.
Andy makes films as a hobby, and is the owner of X Ski Films. He’s known for his aerial acrobatics and huge backflips on skinny skis. While park skiing isn’t something we really focus on at NY Ski Blog, you have to be in awe of his ability to telemark, flip and jib on such light gear.
That’s pretty cool. He is skiing on the Fischer JibSkate (http://www.fischerskis.com/en/products_nordic_ski.php5?parent=60166), a short, twin-tip skate ski made for this kind stuff. You have to give credit to Fischer for supporting what seems to be a pretty fringe element of the sport. I wish more ski companies would think like that. Skate-ski boots are pretty stiff for their weight, so you get a surprising amount of control.
I’m not knocking Andy’s amazing skills but don’t forget that the “telemark” is simply a method of turning on any free-heel equipment, whether it has metal edges, plastic cuffs, laces, buckles, fish scales or a need for pine tar. If you like Harv’s posted vid, go to YouTube and search for “Ultimate Skiing Showdown.” Similar stuff, presented in a very humourous fashion.
SBR… thanks for the info on yet another genre. At first I thought … that’s kind of odd to invent jib gear that’s not as good as regular jib gear for jibbing. But … I looked at the Fischer site. They are selling it as a self powered sport. Skate up to the top of the half pipe and then ride em down. Very cool!
Impressive, very impressive. Should be sent to all Daddies whose little brats are whining for new park gear this year, so they can show it to the little urchins. “Look, look, pretty cool, huh, son? And I’ll bet he teles to school 20 miles each way in the snow every morning. Uphill. Both ways!”
At ease on skis. Doesn’t matter what you’re riding.
Holy hell this guy is amazing on skis! Speaking from experience, there are not many people who have that amount of control on equipment that unstable. Id like to see him on some Aviators!
Harv thanks for linking this to the Wild Wings piece. I don’t think any of the X Ski Films vids are available any more, they were released on VHS. Just a note, in Generation X Ski, his first film, Newell was not on Fischer jib skis. He was on regular RCS xc race skis.
I searched but couldn’t find any outtakes from that one online. Amazing movie.