Andreas Hatveit: The Feel Good Comeback Kid

By: Colin Bane – After a slopestyle win at the Totino’s Open at Breckenridge and a second-place finish at the Wendy’s Invitational at Snowbasin, Norwegian freeskier Andreas Hatveit is headed into the Toyota Championships at Mount Snow tied in the points race with Tom Wallisch.

It’s Hatveit’s first year on the Dew Tour, so we caught up with him to learn more about where he’s coming from (and to get the dirt on the private terrain park he has stashed away back home in Norway).

One Leg Rail Slide

Not a bad year so far! How are you feeling?
I’m feeling good, for sure. It’s been a really good year and I didn’t really expect it. I was injured last year, so it’s just been good to come back and be feeling good.

What will it take to beat Tom Wallisch at Mount Snow and take home the Dew Cup?
We’re old friends and we’ve got totally different styles, so it’s all about the judging and who has the best day. I’m stoked when he lands his run and I think he’s stoked when I land mine, so it’s all good. It’s just about becoming the best skier I possibly can and seeing how far I can possibly take it. I’m the kind of guy, I want to see Tom put down the very best run he has. It’s not about rivalry at all.

You missed the Dew Tour last year. Now that you’re a few events in, what do you make of it all?
These are the best slopestyle comps I’ve ever done, and the course at Breck was the best slopestyle course ever as far as I’m concerned. I’m stoked. It’s been a really good contest series.

What do you think? How long before freeskiing makes it to the Olympics?
I’m not stressing about it or whatever, but the way skiing is going now, for sure it’s going to be in the Olympics. This is where skiing is now, you know? It’s definitely the future of skiing and it’s going to be in there. I’d love to be there when it happens.

The future came up pretty fast. Why do you think freeskiing has progressed so quickly?
I think it’s all about the mentality of the riders. If you come in thinking, “Oh, that’s not possible” and don’t even try something, than you’re stuck. But now there’s just so many kids out there who see nothing but possibilities, and then go for it. Pretty much everything is possible, and that’s what people are starting to realize. It’s awesome.

 

Jib Flip Off The Big Canyon

What does your season look like this year, other than the Dew Tour stops?
It’s crazy. This year I’ve done more comps than any other year in my career. After X Games and the last Dew Tour event, I go home to Europe for European X and a couple more contests, and then I’m going to be filming a bunch, focusing on my film parts. My main goal for the season is just to ski a bunch, try new tricks, and try to get better. I’ve got a park outside my house in my backyard, which is probably the best park in Norway right now, and I just got a new snowcat, so we’re gonna build a big ass jump on the local mountain to train and learn some new stuff.

Ah, the secret weapon.
Yeah, seriously. We’re building some crazy stuff. People have no idea.

Getting Some Air in Run #2