Name:
Andrew Longley

Age:
17

Occupation:
Freestyle skier

In the gym

Years training:
2 ½

Specific types of training undertaken:
Core Stability + Plyometrics

Typical Training week:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: strength + endurance training. Tuesday, Thursday: core stability. Saturday: Skiing

Sporting background:
I started skiing aged 3 at my local dry ski slope (Sheffield Ski Village) my parents thought that it would be a good idea for me to learn to ski as I have family that live in Switzerland, so it would make for future holidays. Apparently I took to skiing almost instantly (I can’t remember) and since then I have been skiing at least once a week.

Aged around 7 years old I decided that I wanted to try ski racing after seeing the likes of Herman Maier and Picaboo Street competing in World Cup downhill events. Downhill was the only real alpine discipline that caught my eye, but at 7 years old I was not allowed to train for this event and told I needed to start slalom skiing. So I joined my local ski club (Sheffield Sharks) and started to train as an alpine slalom skier. I had some success skiing in the alpine disciplines, but never got to try downhill skiing.

I kept on skiing slalom until I was around 12 years old, when I first saw moguls skiing at the 2002 winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. Moguls skiing was fast and exciting and involved jumping, I knew what moguls were as we had a run at the ski village but I didn’t know to what extent the sport went on snow and in competition. After seeing legends Jonny Mosely and Kari Traa take the gold medals in the moguls event I decided that is the event I wanted to do. From that stage I have never looked back.

The next time I went to my local dry ski slope I joined the moguls group as the youngest member ever, most people at the ski village didn’t start training moguls until they were 14 or 15 years old, but that didn’t put me off. A year after starting to train in the moguls I started to compete at regional and national moguls event, I didn’t have particularly amazing results in my first year finishing around 20th in the majority of events but this just made me want to train harder. The next year when I went to these competitions I was placing around the top 10 and even had a couple of top 5 results and was selected to become a part of ‘Generation 2010’ which gave me access to training resources and facilities. With training, commitment and dedication after just one year I made a huge leap in my skiing ability and started to come 1st in competitions and at 15 years old I became the youngest ever British moguls champion, a title which I have retained for the last 3 years.

At 16 years old I was given an FIS license which allowed me to compete at international level competitions. I started competing at a National level abroad such as French cup and Swiss cup competitions and after my first season gained enough points on the FIS system to be given a ‘B’ Start license which allowed me to enter Europa cup events. I competed on Europa cup last winter and spent the summer in Australia competing at the same level in continental cup events. I have recently been awarded an ‘A’ license which allows me to compete at World cup level, which I will be doing over this winter season.

Most satisfying sporting achievement:
Winning the British Moguls Championships or Qualifying to compete at World Cup.

Time out

Interests and hobbies outside health and fitness:
Skiing recreationally, Long boarding, Surfing

Sum yourself up in one sentence:
I am a Skier.

Strengths:
Legs

Weaknesses:
Flexibility

Favourite way to relax:
Lay down on my bed after a days training and listen to the Red Hot Chili Peppers

Favourite band/music:
Red Hot Chili Peppers… But I like all music

Favourite food:
Chicken Parmigianino

The PhD experience

Favourite PhD Nutrition product:
Pharma Whey

Why you chose PhD Nutrition to officially endorse:
PhD provided me with re-assurance that I would be safe using their products as an IOC drug tested athlete. This provided me with confidence in the company and in their products.

Why do you and PhD complement each other?
To be the best possible athlete I have to have the best possible diet, PhD help to provide me with that.

Personal ambitions

Future aims and objectives within your chosen sport:
To have a good season on World Cup this winter and to Qualify for the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

Future life ambitions:
To find a way of providing a lifestyle in which I can ski every day.