Three reasons why Andy Soule loves Nordic skiing
25.11.2016One of the USA’s best Para Nordic skiers has three simple reasons why he loves the sport.
At Cable 2015 Soule made history by winning the most medals ever at a single World Championships by a US Nordic skier.
© • James Netz
Andy Soule became the USA’s most decorated Para Nordic skier from a World Championships in 2015. The 36-year-old from Texas won five medals on home snow in Cable, USA. He took silver in the sprint and middle distance biathlon races and the middle distance cross-country. He won bronze in the sprint and the long distance race also in cross-country.
He was the winner of the overall men’s cross-country sitting World Cup in the 2014-15 season.
“I love being able to get miles away from everything completely independently and on my own.”
The sit-skier lost both his legs when an improvised explosive device detonated next to his vehicle when he was serving with the US Army in Afghanistan in 2005.
This season he is looking forward to adding to his World Championship medals in Finsterau, Germany, in February as well as competing in the World Cup.
He will also be hoping to win another Paralympic medal at PyeongChang 2018 to go with the silver medal he won in the biathlon pursuit at Vancouver 2010.
Here he talks about the reasons why he loves skiing.
Independence
“I love being able to get miles away from everything completely independently and on my own.”
Accomplishment
“This is a difficult sport and I love the feeling of accomplishment that comes from performing well at it.”
Team
“The people I have met and had a chance to work with have been truly fantastic.”
The Finsterau 2017 World Para Nordic Skiing Championships will gather 135 of the world’s best biathletes and cross-country skiers from 25 countries in Finsterau between 10-19 February. They will be followed by the PyeongChang 2018 Test Event from 10-15 March.
