AAMODT AND KJUS
    Q: Hello Aksel! In Lasse Kjus and Kjetil Andre Aamodt, Norway had two great skiers with a long and succesful carreer. Do you ever have any contact with them for advice or any other kind of support?
    A: I talk to them and see them sometimes, but way to little. I’m a busy guy, and so are they. But I can always come to them if I need some advice.

AKSEL OR AXEL
   Q: Does it bother you when people mispell your name Axel rather than Aksel?
   A: Nope, that’s ok. But I really wanna go with Axl…haha.

BAD DAY
   Q: do you have days where you can almost not get yourself to doing some training or sport? i do. sometimes it is just so hard to get your ass into gear and trick your head to get going... what do you do then, how do you motivate yourself?
   A: I sure do. Those are the days when being an athlete feels like work and not you passion. Then I think about the urge to always want to ski faster and being better.

BAD HABBITS
   Q: What kind of bad habits do you have?
   A: My grandma always tells me I talk to fast.. haha Also to much probably.

BROTHER
   Q: how is the relation with your brother?
   A: I’m close with my brother. We spent a lot of time together growing up. Now In don’t see him as much as I used to when we live together. But as often as we can.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
   Q: Hi Aksel I read you like Bruce Springsteen? I love his music, saw him in Zuerich... Do you have a favourite song of Bruce? Thanks, Nicole
   A: I do like him a lot. Think “Thunder roads” might be my favorite.

BURRE
   Q: hi aksel, how is your relationship to hans petter buraas?
   A: We’re good friends and hang out when we get the chance, but that is not often enough. Both busy. Very fun guy!

CELEBRATION
   Q: Hi Aksel! I have two questions for you! - What is your favorite song? - How do celebrate after you win a race? Have a great summer! :-)
   A: Hard to pick one song. Maybe Heart of Gold, or something with Guns n Roses or Bruce Springsteen. After I good race I celebrate with the people who knows what it’s all about and helped me win, me team!

COOKING
   Q: i was gonna ask you if you like cooking haha, but now i saw the blog... but still, would be nice if you could answer :)
   A: I like cooking if it’s together with someone or to prepare something special. But alone and just for yourself is boring.

DANILE ALBRECHT
   Q: In the season 07/08 you had a terrible accident and know in the last season you was back and you was the champ from everything.... Sadly Daniel Albrecht had also an accident in Kitzbühl.. what are you thinking can he his old accomphlisment to restore? And what are you thinking about the swiss ski team? I wish you a very very good summer and also a good winter and one or two gold medalls in vancouver (Sorry about my English:) Bye Cindy o g
   A: Daniel A. had a very tough accident, but I’m sure he will come back. If you can make it to the top once you have something most people done have, so there is a good chance you will make it again. The Swiss team is impressive. Super strong and fast young skiers.

DIET
   Q: As a sportsman, do you have to follow any special kind of diet? Do you have to cut out on certain food or are you allowed to eat anything you want?
   A: Nope, no special diet, but I do try to eat healthy. In my sport it doesn’t really matter if you have a few kilos extra…

DON’T LIKE
   Q: Hey, what do you really not like in other people? When do yu get angry or so?
   A: I don’t like it when people use the power a job or position gives them to be unfair.

DOWNHILL JUMPS
   Q: On the big downhill jumps do you still feel like your stomach sucks in and you have butterfly's and then there is the relief when you land or are you passed that stage?
   A: I sure do. Most on the big jumps where there is a flat section coming in to it so you really have time to think. Like Golden Eagle or the Camels

DOWNHILLJUMPS 2
   Q: On which jump (in which WC course) do you fly the longest and which one takes you highest above the ground? Which jump do you think is the most scary (besides Golden Eagle)?
   A: I think Walchoffer has the record with 78 meters on the camels in Val Gardena. Highest I’m not sure. Maybe Aare Sweden in 2006 at the super-g start. I think that one, the first jump in Kitzbuhel and Golden Eagle probably are the scaryest.

FACEBOOK
   Q: hello, do you still take on friends requst on facebook or are you overload already haha?
   A: It’s overloaded..

FAMILY
   Q: hello! Does your family come to races with you very often?
   A: Yes, they do as often as they can. That’s very nice

FANS
   Q: What do you feel when fans stop you on the street to ask for an autograph or a picture?is it ok or is it not?Hope for an honest answer! :)
   A: If I’m skiing or at a race I don’t mind, cause then I’m kinda at work. But if I’m with friends doing something else I don’t like it that much.

FANS 2
   Q: Do you sometimes think of that there are thousand of people following you and your career, people that you don't know, nor have met, cheering for you and really want you to do the best? I just think that must be a stange thought when you just see yourself as you, and other people see you as a great star, or!? Enjoy :)
   A: I’m happy that people follow my sport. I think it’s a sweet sport and I wanna share it with others.

FAVORITE DISCPLINE
   Q: Hi, I have two questions:-): 1) what's your favourite discipline in skiing, the one that is most entertaining for you? 2) how big can be the impact the athletes have on the courses' setting safety-wise? If the course is obviously too dangerous/badly prepared, is it possible for the athletes to protest agains it somehow in a way that is effective? Thanks for answering
   A: I like the discipline where I ski the best at the moment more. You can feel if you’re fast or not, and being fast is fun! Usually its GS or Super-G. We do have an impact on the course setting if we push hard, but usually we trust our coaches that do the jury inspection.

FAVORITE WORLD CUP PISTE
   Q: Hello Aksel! What is your favourite World Cup piste and why?Thanks
   A: It depends a little on the conditions from year to year. But slopes like Aare, Beaver Creek and Val Gardena are often very fun to ski.

FIGHTING
   Q: hi. have you ever been in a fight? do you get get stressed or pissed off easily, or can you use your "coolness" and mental strentgh from the sport a little as a private person also?
   A: Nope, never been in a fight. At least not a real one. Not just talking about not fighting, but I think you learn a lot as an athlete that is very useful in life in general.

FITNESS
   Q: Does one's ski racing improve as fitness improves? Will being a better athlete improve my racing, technique and tactics remaining equal- does better fitness make technique and tactics easier? Could you give me some world cup off-snow training ideas. (Oh and why are you single? Your totally hot!).. thanks for answering my question.
   A: If you’re strong you can pull off tighter turns. The you can make other tactics. You will for sure have an advantage at the end off races when others get more tired. And it helps you last all trough a long season. Leg strength, core strength and endurance is important. Sit-ups, weight training biking and running is what I do most. But mix it up so it doesn’t get boring, but some days will anyway.

FOOTBALL
   Q: I`ve read somewhere that you not only are a football fan, but also play football yourself. Where (defence, midfield, striker, goalie etc) and how (aggressive, creative, intelligent, physical, crybaby, technical etc) do you play?
   A: I just play with friends for fun, and it’s at a level where everyone plays every position.

FREE SKIING
   Q: You did a segment in the last Field Productions film "Get Lucky", do you plan to do any more features in ski films (or have you already done something with them which we'll see soon)?
   A: I did some filming with Field Productions in Canada after the season this year. But it’s hard to find enough time. Getting good filming/photos is time demanding.

FRIENDS
   Q: Hey Aksel, firstly, pretty awesome website! Just wanted to know whether you skiers (from different nations) keep contact during the summer break? Like Bode and Marco once mentioned you are good friends - so are you meeting them in your private time during the summer?? Keep my fingers cross for you for Vancouver :)
   A: I meet some of the guys. I’ve met Marco and some of the Swedes this summer.

FRIENDS
   Q: do you only have super sporty friends or "normal job life" people around you too?
   A: Haha:) I have lots of different friends. For sure some of my best friends are skiers or other athletes, but that’s only natural since we spend so much time together. But where I lived as there was almost no other skiers, so my friends from back then go to school or work. They are the once I spend most time with during the summer. Aksel

GERMAN
   Q: hey! Where or how have you learned talking German so well?
   A: I had germen in school. But most of it I just learned from travelling in the Alps. In school you learn grammar, but not really how to speak. Aksel

GIRLS
   Q: now, since the girls in the bugatti blog had so much fun discussing the subject...haha - do you like women in high heels or are you more into the comfortable trainers wearing ones...? ;) nike shorts are sweet
   A: Everything at the right time. But the sneakers more often than the high heels. High heels look very uncomfortable..

GIRLS 2
   Q: hello! would you only go out with a norwegian girl who speaks your language for instance? or do you not mind so much? what is important in a woman to you? very personal, we know..., but hoping for an answer
   A: It doesn’t really make any sense to decide these things, cause you never know what happens. But I know my grandma would like it best if she could talk to my girlfriend. She’s always asking if I have one.

GIRLS 3
   Q: sure some girls wonder what type of woman you like or dont like...?
   A:haha. I wonder myself sometimes… Girls that are fun to hang out with I guess.

GIRLS 4
   Q: hi, do you only like sporty girls who ski too?
   A: No, but I do like sporty girls

GOALS
   Q: Have you already set your targets for next season or is it still a little early? What will be your main focus - retaining your title or Olympic success? You can feasibly will 4 golds (sorry I'm not quite convinced with your slalom) but if you could only win one gold which would you choose?
   A: My goal is to ski fast. If I’m fast than everything is possible. And if I could choose one goal… I’m not sure. All golds are cool. Don’t feel like I’ve won enough to start being picky.

GO OUT IN OSLO
   Q: Bonsoir! Where do u like to go out in Oslo to enjoy some sparetime from the world cup-circus? Bisous
   A: Hi Caroline. I like to go wherever I have friends and there’s cool people. The places around Solli-plass are good. Depends what mood you are in. Aksel

GYM
   Q: How long time do you were in the gym on normal day?
   A: Somewhere between 2.5 and 3.5 hours. More in heavy periods.

HAPPIEST MOMENT
   Q: Hello Aksel! What is your happiest moment in sport, so far? (overall World Cup 2009, 2007 , downhill gold medal, victory in Beaver Creek...) P.S. I wonder why did you choose the photo like this on the front page. In my opinion you look a bit "dangerous" in this photo.(perhaps it isn't the right word) Have a nice evening!
   A: Hard to say. The first gold I won at World-Champs, or overall World-Cup 2006/2007. Beaver Creek this year was great. That’s the moment where I knew I was back where I wanted to be after the injury.

HOW HEAVY
   Q: How heavy are you?
   A: About 98kg

HOW TALL
   Q:How tall are you?
   A: 189cm

HOTELS
   Q: hello. when you travel and spend time in hotels so much, do you not miss the feeling of coming home at the end of a day and doing things one does at home...? and opposite - after the season, do you enjoy cooking yourself for example and being in a "normal" home...?
   A: Sometimes, but it’s important to make the tour feel like your home. Bring some good music, books, magazines and films with you.

HOTELS 2
   Q: when you travel the world in winter season do you stay with team norway? are this always hotels with **** or *****?who decides the category? hope hospitality satisfied you all perfectly. thanks for answering.
   A: I always stay with the team. The Hotels are usually pretty good. Mostly 3 or 4 stars, but it depends on the place. There are FIS rules that they must be of a certain standard, but the organizers decide what hotels we stay in.

HOW LONG
   Q: With the way athletes look after themselves now a lot are carrying on into their late 30s. Providing you're still having fun skiing how long do you think you will do it for? Do you have plans for what to do after - would you stay in the sport coaching or on tv in some form?
   A: Not sure how long I will ski. But like you say, if I’m healthy and I have fun I hope I can do it for many years. No idea what I will do when I’m done. I hope something ffun. Not to sure about the tv thing though.

IF NOT A SKIER
   Q: Hei Aksel, who would you like to be, if you weren't a skier? (Sorry for my English...) Greets :)
   A: Something else that is competitive. Probably a different sport or maybe some kind of business. Luckily I don’t have to think about that.

IMPORTANT
   Q: Hello Aksel! 1. What's the most important thing you've learnt in your life so far? 2. What's the most important thing you've learnt in sport so far? Thanks.
   A: That’s a tough question. I guess working hard and being honest to yourself and the people around you is very important.

KITZBüHEL
   Q: Hi Aksel! Just wondering how you felt the first time you raced downhill in Kitzbuhel? I was there this winter and tried out the downhill slope, and I must say it was crazy. Ten times(at least!) more scary than Kvitfjell! I can just imagine how it must feel going down at top speed on ice. Which downhill course is the most terrifying from your point of view? Good luck this season!:)
   A: I was very scared. Even more so before coming to Kitzbühel to see the course. Scared because of what I heard from others. I still get very nervous in Kitzbühel I I think that is the toughest course on the tour.

KJETIL ANDRE AAMODT

   Q: Hey Aksel :) I've got a question. Do you know Kjetil André Aamodt personally? Is he your idol for your sportive results? By the way, sorry for my bad English : Greetings from Salzburg :)
   A: Kjetil always was and is one of my biggest idols. He’s the best guy ever, and I miss having him on the team.

LONDONER IN KITZBÜHEL
   Q: what do you think od the Londoner Pub in Kitzbühel? have you been there?
   A: I have never been there at the big party Saturday, so I cant say I have been there. I do slalom on Sunday, so I need to go to bed…

MESSY?
   Q: hello sir :) i'm wondering, when you spend so much time in hotels where you obviousely don't have to worry about tidyness too much, since they have cleaners anyway..., at home are you a tidy person then or more messy?
   A: IDepends. I do try to keep it nice and not to messy. But usually I’m home only for a few days, then the clothes stay in the bag or on the floor before I leave again.

MISSING OUT?
   Q: Hello Aksel! Do you ever think at all, that you might "miss out" on private life or stuff because of your skiing career? Do you feel your age or more grown thru the mental strength you oviousely have and the experiences you already made? Thanks
   A: I feel that I miss out sometimes. But then I live a “normal life” for a week and I want to get back to my life. I get much more than I miss. And you for sure get better mentally through experience, but only if you remember to learn from things that happen. Both good and bad things.

MOTIVATION
   Q: Hey, how did you stay motivated during your injury? i ll be jumping around on crutches for the next 6 weeks.. cheers
   A: For me it was easy, cause I always felt I wanted to get back and nothing else. But patience is important.

MOVIES AND BOOKS
   Q: Hei Aksel! What kind of movies and books do you like? God bedring med skuldra :)
   A: In like different movies and books. In movies everything from Matrix to Snatch. Top Gun to Tumbstone and the Gladiator. Ohhh, and Pulp Fiction. That’s probably the greatest ever. Books I’m not sure. I feel the most important is that the author writes in a way that makes it easy to imagine what’s going and get the pictures in your head.

MUSIC
   Q: hei! i wanted to ask you what kind of music /bands do you prefer? ha det bra
   A: AC/DC, Guns n' Roses, Kanye West; jay-Z, Dr Dre, Snoop, Biggie, Pink Floyd, Bruce Springsteen, Big Bang, Ryan Adams, Iron Maiden, U2, Rolling Stones, Waterboys, Neil Young, Turbo Negro... different kinds of music.

OFF DAY
   Q: Hi, I'd like to ask how does the typical day with no race, but during the racing season, look like? Is the training than mostly on the slopes or in the gym?
   A: We often travel on days off between the races. If I can get some good ski training that is the best thing to do on a “day off”. If not I do some training to recover from the racing.

OTHER SPORTS
   Q: You mentioned MotoGP and F1 in one of your answers (terrible weekend for Rossi last week); what other sports do you follow? Do you have a football team you support (maybe one in the Premiership)?
   A: I’m actually going to Monaco this weekend for the F1 and then Mugello for the moto GP next weekend. I do like football. In Norway I support Lillestrøm that is the town where I grew up. In the Premiership I’m not sure. But I do like British football in general vs other European teams

PLACES TO SEE IN NORWAY
   Q: Hi Aksel! I'm coming to Norway in September and I haven't decided yet which cities I will visit. Can you tell me any beautiful places I have to see? Have a nice day and see you in Adelboden =) Eliane
   A: To see the classical Norway with the fjords++ you should check out the west coast and the cities/towns there. For sure the north is beautiful, and if there is still a touch of summer the Oslo fjord and the south coast is very nice.

PERFECT DAY
   Q: what is THE perfect day for you? what would it look like?
   A: Waking up in the morning and having the time, energy, conditions and possibility to what you wanna do that day.

PRESS
   Q: Is what we read in press about you accurate? I once read an article that you "abstain" in order to train well for your skiing. Was that story completely bs?
   A: There is probably lots of bs. I don’t read all of it, but that is totally bs..

PRESSURE
   Q: Ahoj Aksel! I think you are good at coping with pressure/stress. How do you cope with pressure? Do you have some special mental preparation or you have natural abilities? Thanks.
   A: I have performed under pressure a few times, so it seems like I’m ok. As an athlete you learn what mental level you need to perform best. For me it’s often about just taking a deep breath and concentrate.

RACING SUIT
   Q: Hei! i`'ve got two questions: 1.) Why do you have another racing dress in slalom? 2.) Why has your team choosen turqouise racing dresses? Lg
   A: On both questions I can only say that the clothing supplier is Phenix. It’s a Japanese company and they decide the colors. I’m dressed in Japanese fashion… haha Aksel

SCARED?
   Q: Do you ever get scared when you go off the big jumps or reach the really high speeds in the downhill. Were you scared when you got to the Golden Eagle section at Beaver Creek for the first time since you crashed? And do you get nervous in the last 10-15 seconds of Kitzbuhel with that very steep pitch and large jump? Also what would you say is the most frightening downhill?
   A: I often get scared. But it’s the kind of scared that also is very exciting. Like you get from bungee jumping etc. I was very scared in Beaver Creek at Golden Eagle last year. But I had done the jump hundreds of times in my head already and knew exactly what to do. I would say the most scary downhill is Kitzbühel. If the conditions are ice like this year its very scary.

SKIING AFTER INJURY
   Q: hi aksel! i'm a big fan and a skier too. i wanna know what you 've felt when you had your first race after your bad accident? i've had an accident 3 years ago with contusions of the columna vertebralis, but god thanks i had luck!!! i was afraid for the first time after this! hope i will hear something of you!?!
   A: I was a little nervous the first time I went skiing. And then even more nervous first time I did downhill and downhill with big jumps. But I started very easy and tuck it step by step. Skied a lot of freeskiing before I started going into the gated. I think that’s the key.

SKIN
   Q: hei aksel, do you protect your skin when doing races with some cream from the contant cold air and sun on the slopes at all? heard that a lot do that.
   A: Sometimes. But if its that cold we usually use tape or masks on out faces.

SKIS
   Q: Hi, my 2 questions are: No1: how does the involvement of the skier in the construction of the ski look like? No2: the skis' construction when it comes to the new models must be done in advance, so what is the timeline of this? When you discuss the skis' construction now and I guess it concerns skis for the upcoming season - do you discuss the changes in the new models that have already been tested or some new constructions?
   A: Development of skies is a none stop process. But in the winter there are so many racers that the time for testing is limited. The best way is to find the skie you wanna use all winter in the summer training. Maybe just to so small changes during the winter. I was just at the Atomic factory in meetings with the ski constructors.

SMALL TEAM
   Q: Hello, maybe that question has already been asked but anyway: Do you think it`s an advantage for you to be in a quite small team than being in a big team (like the Austrian squad who can push each other also in the training sessions) ? Sometimes it seems the individuals (Lara Gut, Lindsey Vonn , Marc Girardelli etc. ) seem to be in a better position when not taking care about the rest of the team and with full concentration on themselves . The Norwegians always had a kind of one-man-show with guys like Andre Aamodt, Lasse Kjus great skiiers but no big team in the background to push them. Advantage or disadvantage?
   A: Being in a strong team is an advantage if you can use it for the good things and be positive about the competition it gives. But if you cant see the good sides, they all turn in to negatives. I think…

SMOKE
   Q: Did you smoke ever?
   A: No. Never have, never will.

SNOW
   Q: heia Aksel, now you are going to start your training in the snow (again). What's your first station the next days, saas fee or zermatt? Snow conditions aren't the best at the moment or what a sight you are? Well, I long to know about the first steps (units) in your snow-training, after your multifacted summer training programme (biking, sailing, "max" weight training, sightseeing ;-)...)? All the best and hilsen fra tyskland
   A: First step was actually Stelvio Italy. Little change of plans. It’s hard to fins good snow in August, but we got some good days at Passo Stelvio

SPONSORS
   Q: Which of your sponsors give you the best free stuff? Also if you could choose any sponsor in the world (that you don't alrady have) who would you want?
   A: Well, Atomic give me the best skis in the world, so that’s the most important one. I’m very proud to be sponsored by Acer, and getting some of the sweetest laptops in the world is for sure a good side-effect. And sweet watches from Longines. Doesn’t get much better than Swiss watches. Regarding the best partner in the world, I’m not sure. I think I have very cool partners. But I have some new pretty cool ones coming soon, so stay tuned.

SUMMER HOLIDAY
   Q: Hello Aksel! Many Norwegians go on holiday to places like Crete, Cyprus, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Maldives. Have you ever been there? What are your favourite places (country, city)? (except Norway) Thanks and have nice evening!
   A: I like going to sunny beaches or big cities after the season. My favorite city most be New York. Beach I’m not sure, I wanna go to Bali.

SUMMER SKIING
   Q: Hey Aksel! Wassup? I've got some questions for you mate! Heh. Where do you go for skiing in summer?
   A: I usually go to Stevio ITA, Saas Fee SUI and Portillo CHILE for skiing in the summer. We used to go to New Zealand also, but sadly the budget don’t allow us to go to both Chile and NZ. And Portillo has been great last few years.

SUMMER TRAINING
   Q: Hi Aksel, During the summer do you continue to train at the gym or do you give yourself some time off. Also, at what point do you start your preparation for the next season and do you always look forward to getting your skis back on! Thanks:)
   A: I spend a lot of time in the gym during the summer. That and running is what I do most. I’ve started preparing for the next season. After some time off I always want to get back on snow.

SUPERSTAR
   Q: What are the best and the worse things about training for the new season? Do you get any special treatment being the "superstar" of the team?
   A: The worst is if you’re sick or have some pain somewhere so you cant do the training you know you need to get done. I guess I do get a little special treatment sometimes. But I’m also the most experienced racer on my team, so if I have an idea or opinion I hope it’s worth listening to.

TATTOOS
   Q: Hello Aksel! I'd like to ask you if you got any tattoos? And what do you think about this kind of body decoration? Do you think it's nice? Greetings :))
   A: I dont have any tattoos., and I probably will never get one either. But done in the right way I think they can be really cool.

WAKING UP
   Q: hi aksel, so when you are training in the skirace places before the races, do you have like super early starts of the days at 6 in the morning up the hill and stuff or is it at least a little "stressless" (if that is possible...)? when does the day start normally? Thanks
   A: We almost never get up earlier than 6. It’s usually between 6 and 7.30, or later for some races.

WAX
   Q: Hi We don't really hear as much talk about ski-wax in alpine skiing as we do in cross-country races. Is it because the ski-wax does not have that much influence on your performance in a downhill? Do you use the same pairs of ski on several races, or are you only skiing new ones each time? Hilsen Yann
   A: Ski wax is super important. In downhill the wax/the skies can be the different between 1st and 50th place. But there I feel the cross-country people have more of a tradition or culture for “blaming” the skies when they aren’t perfect. Not just the athletes and the teams, but also the media.

WEIGHT TRAINING
   Q: How old was you then you started train weigth lifings? I'm 13 years old and I train ski and I'm quite precocious, do you think it's ok for me to train weigth liftings in the summer to got more strength?
   A: I was 15 when I started training with weights. It’s important to train with people that know what they’re doing and build the training step by step.

WHAT’S IMPORTANTE
   Q: Hi aksel, i am realy curious, what is the most important in skiing is it strenght, balance, explosive muscles, feeling? And second do you thing is it possible to succeed with realy hard work and not to have a talent. thank you, all the best
   A: I think all those things are important. Skiing is very complex, so you need to be good at many things. Core strength and good aerobic endurance are also important. Check the ABOUT part on this site. Working hard is also a talent that can take you very far.

YOUNG
   Q: have you been one of the better skiiers in your age class since you were young? For example; what were the results at the age of 15 like? Or did the results came suddenly in an older age (as clear after much hard training and patience)?
    A: I was always pretty good, but never the best in Norway in my age. First time I won something like that was at age 15. After that it’s been step by step.