Q&A with Double National Champ Nina O’Brien

After her fourth year racing on the national team, O’Brien took a few minutes between classes to chat with SRM. In addition to recently being nominated to the U.S. Ski Team’s B Team, she racked up two titles at National Championships this spring in Sun Valley as well as finishing second overall in this season’s NorAm standings.

SRM: What have you been up to this spring? We heard you’ve been in school at Dartmouth.

O’Brien: Yes, I’ve been spending my spring studying at Dartmouth. It’s been a lot of fun and a nice change of pace after a long winter on the road. I’m currently taking Microeconomics, German, and a writing class on the Ancient Greek Symposium. I’m just finishing up my finals now!

SRM: Looking back on your season, tell us about some of the highs and lows you experienced? Did you meet all your goals?

O’Brien: Reflecting on my season, I’m pretty proud of what I accomplished. While it was an Olympic year and I didn’t meet my goal of qualifying for Pyeongchang, I learned a lot from racing on the World Cup. It was definitely a challenge starting in the back of the World Cup races, but those rough conditions forced me to fight down the entire course. I was able to return from Europe and have success on the NorAm tour, and then finish my season with two US National titles.

SRM: The end of a season is a funny time in the year for a ski racer. What kinds of things are you thinking about and doing this time of year?

O’Brien: Earlier this spring I went to an awesome camp in Mammoth with the World Cup Speed Team. It felt great to be back on snow, but lately I’ve enjoyed some much-needed sunshine and a break from my ski boots. I’ve recently been focusing my time on my schoolwork and spring conditioning.

SRM: Are you doing anything for fun this summer?

O’Brien: I’m excited to also spend my summer here in Hanover. I’m looking forward to taking interesting classes, working out, and going on outdoor adventures. I’ve heard a lot of great things about hiking Mount Washington, and that’s definitely on my bucket list!

SRM: Congratulations on making the B Team! What are you most looking forward to for the season ahead?

O’Brien: I’m really looking forward to having more World Cup opportunities and seeing new corners of the world! I’ve got an awesome team to travel with this season, and I know we’ll have a lot of fun on the road.

SRM: There’s been a lot of talk about the importance of team and team culture in skiing this spring. Do you care to share your thoughts on being part of a team and how that might tie into performance?

O’Brien: I totally support the effort to improve our team culture. It’s inspiring to watch teams work together, support each other and be successful, and I hope to cultivate this atmosphere amongst all of my teammates. I truly believe we can all become better together.

SRM: Give us a snapshot of your summer training. What are your favorite and least favorite kinds of workouts and why?

O’Brien: I really enjoy summer training, but there’s no denying that some workouts can be brutal. Personally, I find high intensity intervals to be grueling, but there’s no better feeling than completing a hard workout!