Saturday, May 6, 2017

Athlete Profile: Felix Neureuther

A Boston Blickbild Exclusive


Germany's Felix Neureuther is one of the most-liked ski racers in the World Cup. Nobody has a bad word to say about him, even though he has broken women's and men's hearts all over Europe. One of our intrepid reporters caught up with Felix during a break in a ski camp in Austria that he was conducting and had the chance to chat with him. Let's find out what he has to say.


BB: A very belated congratulations on winning a bronze medal in St. Moritz.
Neureuther: Thank you.
BB: Also congratulations on expecting your first child. Will the baby be a boy or girl?
Neureuther: You will be the first to know. Well, the first after family, friends, and the rest of the media.
BB: Fair enough. Your son or daughter could be a third generation ski racer. It will be interesting to see him or her racing against little Maiers, Raichs, Kostelics, and all of Bode Miller's kids. But we will have to wait about 20 years for that. (short pause) Let's talk about your childhood in Garmisch-Partenkirchen as the son of famous and successful ski racers. I assume you learned to ski at an early age.
Neureuther: Yes. My parents were my first teachers. In fact, I was on skis almost as soon as I could walk. That is pretty normal growing up in a ski resort. I was skiing down the Kandahar downhill course while still in kindergarten.
BB: It is well-known that the German star footballer (soccer player to our North American readers) Bastian Schweinsteiger beat you in a ski race when you were kids. How did it feel to be beaten by a football player?
Neureuther: Bastian did both ski racing and football when he was a child. It was the only time he ever beat me. Afterward, he was more interested in playing football.
BB: Did your parents bribe young Bastian to start playing football so that he would not beat you in ski races anymore?
Neureuther: Uh...no. Basti and I were friends as kids and are still good friends to this day. Our friendship has nothing to do with him changing over to football after beating me in a kiddie ski race.
BB: Would you say that your parents encouraged you to be a racer, or did they force you into it?
Neureuther: My parents have always been very supportive and encouraging. They never forced me to race. I did it because I enjoyed it. Anyway, it is natural for a child to go into his parents' profession. A lot of doctors are sons of doctors, lawyers are sons of lawyers, and kids grow up being groomed to take over a family business. Even the oldest sons of witch doctors become witch doctors.
BB: Lindsey Vonn claims that her father used to beat her, shock her with a cattle prod, and send her to bed without dinner when she lost races. That is why she always wants to win. Did you parents ever punish you like that for not winning races?
Neureuther: Never. As I said before, they were very supportive. I could not ask for better parents.
BB: They even gave you milk and cookies when Bastian Schweinsteiger beat you? Even when you disgraced the family by getting beaten by a football player?
Neureuther: How many times do I need to say that Basti and I were kids at the time? He only beat me once. I evidently got over it because we are good friends now. You seem to be the one who keeps bringing it up. Didn't you ever get a higher score on a math test than the class nerd?
BB: Yes, one time.  In third grade I got a better score on a math test than Thomas Finnegan, who was the smartest kid in my class. 
Neureuther: And what did Thomas Finnegan grow up to be?
BB: A mechanical engineer. 
Neureuther: There was one time in your life that you got a higher math score than the class genius, yet he is a mechanical engineer and you are a reporter for the Blickbild. And yes, my parents gave me milk and cake even when I lost races as a child.
BB: Let's say for a moment that you did not want to become a ski racer, but an accountant or a biologist. Would your parents still have loved you as a child?
Neureuther: Of course they would have loved me! What kind of question is that?
BB: We at the Blickbild ask the questions that nobody else dares to ask. What about your child? Suppose he or she has no talent for skiing and the only Olympics that he or she will compete in is the Math Olympics. Will you still love your child?
Neureuther: I will love my baby no matter what he or she wants to do in life.
BB: Even if he or she becomes a biathlete like his or her mother instead of a ski racer like you?
Neureuther: Yes!
BB: Suppose you have two children. One child is a talented skier and outstanding junior racer. The other wants to be a nuclear physicist and has zero interest in ski racing. Would you favor the child who is a ski racer over the one interested in physics?
Neureuther: I would hope that I would love both children equally. After all, my parents did not disown my sister because she stopped racing. They still love her.
BB: It sounds like you will be a very good father even if your kid doesn't turn out to be a ski racer. Now let's talk about the famous Austrian TV incident in St. Moritz with Manuel Feller. You crashed Manuel's interview to tell him that he was lucky for winning a silver medal. Was he really lucky, or did he simply have his best race that day? (see this link, which is in German). 
Neureuther: First of all, Manuel and I are friends and he knew that I was joking around with him. We were both laughing through the interview. He had a good race and I was happy for him. He picked a good time to get his first podium place.
BB: But your bronze medal was because of your skill and speed?
Neureuther: That's right. By the way, is this your first job?
BB: What?
Neureuther: Is this Blickbild job your first job in journalism? You really got lucky working for the Blickbild!
BB: Wait a minute! I earned my job because I am very intrepid. We have the most intrepid reporters in the business!
Neureuther: I think that you had some really good luck to get your job. You Blickbild reporters seem to spend more time on holiday than you do writing stories.
BB: The editor was impressed with my writing and interviewing technique.s And of course my intrepidness. Getting this job had nothing to do with luck.
Neureuther: So you are saying that the more respectable publications would not take you, but the Blickbild did? That sounds like luck to me.
BB: Someone here recognized my talent and hired me. Just like Manuel Feller got his silver medal because of his talent.
Neureuther: What would you have done if you were not hired by the Blickbild?
BB: Hey, wait a minute! I'm supposed to be the one conducting the interview. But you seem to be good at it. Would you be interested in a job with the Blickbild? I'm sure you would be hired instantly.
Neureuther: I think I will stick to ski racing for now. But maybe after I retire...
BB: Will we see you in the Olympics next year?
Neureuther: I hope so. And yes, I hope to win a medal or two.
BB: One more thing. In a video that you posted on your Facebook page, you were doing some snazzy ski ballet moves. Are you thinking about taking up ski ballet?
Neureuther: No. I will stick with the technical events.
BB: You would have received some high marks from the judges for your one ski work.
Neureuther: Maybe so, but I still think I am better at slalom and giant slalom races.
BB: Think about the ski ballet and getting a job with us. Well, it looks like we are out of time. We at the Blickbild hope that your baby is healthy. Maybe we will see him or her on the World Cup circuit in about 20 years. We also wish you a successful 2017/18 season and hope to see you on the medal stand at the Olympics. And that concludes another Boston Blickbild exclusive interview.

The Boston Blickbild. Our motto is: Our reporters are talented and not simply lucky, although they are lucky to be working for us. But of course they are the most intrepid in the business.

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