grew up in Maine, started jumping in Rumford, ME, joined the ski club in Lebanon, NH, later

used to go hunting and fishing with his great grandpa who is 96 years old and still loves to follow Brian's career

one older sister, named Sonia

started at 5

spent several years at NSA in Lake Placid

the Korean Ski Team saved him from taking a train all the way from Predazzo to Innsbruck when he forgot his ski during a training camp in fall '03

Summer 2001: several COC peformances, e.g. Calgary, Park City

October 2001: 1st at Flaming Leaves, Junior Class

2001/2002: FIS Junior Worlds in Schonach/GER

January 2002: he's named to the Olympic Team

Summer 2002: COC in Europe

Spring 2003: retirement-plans due to a lack of motivation and other circumstances, in the end longtime-coach Larry Stone convinces him to give it another try

Summer 2003: several great performances in COC-events in July, a sponsor is found, he moves back to Park City

Fall 2003: training in Europe

2003/2004: world cup debut in Kuusamo/FIN and Japan, several COCs

February 2004: two 1st ranks in Eau Claire's Super Tour events

Summer 2004: training in Lake Placid and Park City

August 2004: 3rd and 4th in Park City, Springertournee finals

Fall 2004: he prepares for the upcoming winter season with a training camp in Europe and competes in Super Tour events in Park City and Lake Placid, where he qualifies for Europe

December 2004: COC opening in Finland, best U.S. athlet in Lahti on the first day - 34th, 2nd and 3rd in Calgary/CAN Super Tour

January 2005: 17th and 40th in COC Sapporo/JPN, due to Alborn's injury he's nominated to the World Championship Team 2005

February 2005: 52nd in Pragelato/ITA, does not qualify for the HS100 at the World Championships in Oberstdorf/GER, 18th in COC Iron Mountain, MI

March 2005: 66th COC Zakopane/POL

his nomination to the 2002 Olympic Team: "I feel awesome. I've been pretty nervous, I was pacing up and down the halls all day!"

his crisis in spring '03: "I took the spring off and worked here; I didn't know what else to do. I didn't have any money... Now I'm excited to be jumping again because I did so well in those competitions."

Larry Stone: "He was a big impact on my life. Larry Stone is legendary. The thing about Larry is, he can be a friend, he can be a coach and he can be a father for you as well."

Lake Placid: "I think the two years I spent in Lake Placid were probably the most influencial years in my life."

his motivation: "If you're not jumping well it's not the end of the world. There's always a next day, there's always a next competition. Do the best what you can with what you have."

life in Park City (in '02): "Living and training in Park City is kind of hard for me. I'm from Maine, a totally different atmosphere. I'm kind of a beachboy, haunting, fishing, everything outdoors. And then, all of a sudden, I'm living in the middle of a desert with totally different people and a totally different scenario."

finances: "First when I was younger when my parents got divorced, I had to quit for a year and a half, so I could make enough money to keep jumping. It's been a long hard road to where I am now."

his desired headline: "Welch sets record in Planica..."