Skiing is everything to Wright family

According to Draper siblings Cole, Bronson and Isabella Wright, skiing is what they were born for. With a cousin by the name of Bonnie Blair, one of the most decorated female athletes in Winter Olympic history, they just might know what they’re talking about. Their race results point toward a bright future.

Twenty-year-old Cole won the overall 2011 Western U.S. Championships with six podium placements in six races including a second place finish to his brother Bronson in the Super G #1 race at Bogus Basin, Idaho in March. He was also named Skier of the Year in Jackson Hole where he and his siblings train with the Elite Alpine Ski Team.

“I eat, sleep and breathe skiing,” Cole said. “But I wouldn’t change anything.”

Eighteen-year-old Bronson finished second at nationals last year in the Super G and third in the downhill. He is currently one of the top skiers in the country in two events and holds a No. 25 world ranking in the Super G.

“Nothing comes close to my love for skiing,” Bronson said. “I thrive off the adrenaline.”

Fourteen-year-old Isabella placed first in the slalom in March at Squaw Valley, Calif., capturing the overall crown in the women’s combined at the Junior Olympics. She also qualified as one of nine girls to represent the United States in Canada’s Whistler Cup in early April, where she placed eighth in the Giant Slalom and 12th in the Slalom.

She got her first “goggle tan” at the age of 3 and was hooked on the sport. “I’ve been chasing my two older brothers ever since,” she said.

The siblings, children of Robert and Stacy Wright of Draper, Utah, skied with the Snowbird Ski team for several years before moving to Jackson Hole this past season to train with coach Bridger Call. Following the competitive season, the trio returned to Utah and immediately began extensive dry land training. They train five to six days a week for four hours a day and spend two hours a day commuting to and from Orem to work with Ray Webber.

“Champions are made in the off-season,” the siblings’ father Robert Wright said. “Competition is what wakes them up every morning, and these kids wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The year-round training Cole, Bronson and Isabella are involved in comes at a cost and, despite sponsorships from Atomic, Poc, Leki, Spyder, Canyon Sports Therapy and Goodwin Chiropractic, the Wrights rely on donations and support to help fund their Olympic aspirations. Robert Wright said a fundraiser is being planned for December. He can be reached at 801-652-8824 for more information.