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Double
Olympic Medalist Andrew Weibrecht,
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Son
of Mirror Lake Inn Owners, Ends Ski Racing Career
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“Retirement” to include hotel,
schooling, guiding, skiing
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Lake
Placid, NY – May 2018 / Newsmaker Alert / After 16 years of racing
for United States Ski and Snowboard that saw him win two Olympic medals,
Andrew Weibrecht has called it a day. He made the official announcement
on May 2.
The
32-year-old son of Mirror Lake
Inn Resort and Spa owners Ed and Lisa Weibrecht cited a growing family
– another sibling will soon join two-year-old Adalina and wife Denja –
and time away from them as the primary reason for ending his competitive
career. Andrew added that numerous injuries in recent years had prevented
him from training and preparing properly, and that took its toll on his
performances.
After
so many years of packing, traveling and racing, and moving in and out of
hotels, that chapter of his life now is closed, but the realization has
not been immediate.
“Normally,
we’re off this time of the year. I think once we get to the time where
I realize I won’t be getting back into training mode, I’m not spending
4-6 hours a day in the gym or on my bike, and I’m not getting ready for
a trip to South America, that’s when it’ll really hit home,” Weibrecht
contemplated.
The
hard-charging athlete raced onto the U.S. national team when he was 16
years old, coming from the New York Ski Educational Foundation at Whiteface
Mountain, 10 miles from the family resort. He was widely recognized as
a highly skilled technical skier, developing a daring reputation in the
speed events as one who kept fans engaged, especially when the world was
watching.
The
quiet, introspective Weibrecht came through when it mattered most: to the
general public he was unknown in 2010 when he grabbed the Olympic super
G bronze medal in Vancouver. Four years ensued, however, that saw him beset
by a litany of injuries and he was written off as a result. Nevertheless,
and even as he contemplated retirement, the blonde-haired racer blasted
his way to a silver medal in the same event in Sochi in 2014. Only soft
conditions at the bottom of a sunny, warm track kept him from the top rung
of the podium.
His
third and final Olympic berth occurred most recently in PyeongChang, South
Korea where he concluded his career. Now, just a month after yet another
knee surgery, Weibrecht is ready to move on, and looking at his agenda,
he will be anything but retired.
He
has already further immersed himself in various aspects of the family run
business that he came to know so well in his youth. The Weibrecht family
purchased the Mirror Lake Inn in the late 1970’s and have been at the helm
ever since. Under their guidance the property has expanded and flourished
over the years, ultimately achieving the
AAA
Four Diamond Award for “Excellence” for the past 34 consecutive years.
Similarly, The Inn’s signature restaurant “The
View” has earned the prestigious Four Diamond award for 11 straight
years.
“I’ve
been involved at the Mirror Lake Inn the last couple of years in a small
capacity when I’ve been off the road,” he said. “Since I’ve retired I’ve
picked up on that and started doing some really interesting stuff with
the crew here, helping out with some marketing and guest services.”
In
the future, it’s envisioned that the hotel’s guest offerings will include
outdoor experiences in the Adirondacks as well as skiing outings with the
medal winning Olympian. Currently, Weibrecht’s passion for his native mountains
and waters has lead him to the guide exam so he can ultimately share his
vast knowledge with visitors.
“Andrew’s
diverse interests and ability to connect with our guests will definitely
separate us from other properties in our part of the world,” said Ed Weibrecht.
“While we certainly enjoyed sharing his Olympic success, we are now most
excited about his involvement with our guests and staff starting immediately.”
“I’m
excited to be a part of the team here and am looking forward to getting
more get involved,” added Andrew. “It’s something I’ve been around my entire
life so I feel I have some understanding of it, but getting into the hands
on, day to day guest interaction has been really exciting, so I’ll be here
full time for the summer before heading back to school at Dartmouth College
where I have one year left.”
Andrew
will return to campus in the fall to complete his Bachelor’s Degree in
Earth Sciences.
“It’s
a different part of my life that I never saw through because of skiing
so I’m excited to get back into it. And given the difference in ages and
interests, it’ll be interesting to see what’s going on in that world,”
he chuckled.
While
skiing has taken him to every corner of the globe, his Olympic medals have
remained at the Inn for the past eight years and continue to greet guests
at the front desk. Now with Andrew on site more frequently, those medals
will truly come to life.
“In
terms of getting involved in the real world, it’s been great. It’s something
I always struggled with as an athlete. I always wanted to do more. I didn’t
necessarily want to be just an athlete. There were a lot of other things
that interested me that I didn’t have time to do. So now that I’ve closed
the page on my athletic life, it’s nice to be able to explore different
things and find out what I’m good at and see what comes next.”
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About
the Mirror Lake Inn
The
AAA Four Diamond Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa (www.MirrorLakeInn.com)
is a luxury lakefront resort, offering its’ guests an authentic Adirondack
experience. The Inn, rated Four Diamond for 34 consecutive years, offers
both Four Diamond world-class cuisine and casual dining options, with impeccable
service amid awe-inspiring views. Only one other property in New York (located
in Manhattan), has maintained the Four Diamond designation longer than
Mirror Lake Inn. It is the only property in Lake Placid that combines Four
Diamond lodging and dining. The Inn’s renowned Lake
Placid spa pampers the body and refreshes the mind with a comprehensive
menu of services. The Inn is conveniently located one block from the restaurants
and shops on Main Street in Lake Placid.
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Contact:
Mirror
Lake Inn Resort and Spa
Sandy
Caligiore
518-302-3086 |