Courtesy of the Worthington family.
At the heart of the local ski community is a family as legendary as their traditions on the slopes and aspirations for the future. Trace's story of her Worthington family features talent, determination, and entrepreneurship, including the dreams of her two teenage daughters, Izzy and Sami, to aim for Olympic gold.
Trace competed in freestyle skiing during the Olympic era, winning 37 World Cups, 11 national titles, 79 podium finishes, and seven world titles (he retired from competition in 1997). and is currently well known for his broadcasting role at NBC.
He passed on more than just a passion for skiing to his daughters. Izzy, 17, and Sami, 19, who are members of the U.S. Moguls team, are also making waves in the ski world.
Despite a recent knee injury, Sami is focused on securing a spot in the 2025 Deer Valley World Cup.
Izzy recently made her debut in the World Cup ski halfpipe event in Copper Mountain, Colorado, taking another step towards her Olympic dreams.
Both sisters hope to participate in the upcoming 2026 Olympics.
Their ambitions are deeply rooted in their family's Olympic history, dating back to their great-grandfather Harry Worthington's participation in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, where he placed fourth for the United States in the long jump.
“It was fun to have them follow in their footsteps, whether it was freestyle skiing or Sami doing moguls,” Trace said. “It was so great to see them grow up in this world.” [ski] As a parent, it's fun to watch a child participate in a community and be a successful part of it. ”
Handmade warmth
Izzy's journey towards the Olympics is intertwined with her entrepreneurial endeavors. She is currently a member of the Park City Ski & Snowboard Park and Her Pipe team, and at a time when her athletic activities require large financial investments, Izzy has literally taken it into her own hands. Solving her problem.
With more than 5,000 hand-sewn fleece hats sold and orders pouring in from ski companies, her small business IZLO (The name was a combination of her first name and middle name Laura). IZLO website: izloapparel.com/
“To be honest, I was really bored most of the winter, so I decided to ask my neighbors. [to borrow] I taught myself how to sew using a sewing machine,” Izzy said. “I tried a lot of different things, but I wanted to do something myself rather than have a big manufacturer make it for me. It took me at least 40 tries to make a pretty good hat. I'm still learning. , we're testing it.”
Each hat costs between $26 and $28. The company has grown enough that Izzy is now hiring people to meet demand. So far, she's made enough sales to cover half of the ski season.
“If you’re a full-time skier and you travel more than 10 places a year, it’s expensive,” Izzy says. “I am saving money to join the Kids Play International program run by Tracy Evans and go on a service trip to Rwanda, hopefully in 2025. [former Olympian in aerials skiing]. I've been wanting to go on this trip for over three years now and have been saving money ever since. ”
Izzy is working on her next endeavor, a line of fleece overalls that she hopes to release next winter.
“It was so fun to see people all over the world wearing it because it's definitely overwhelming and you never know where your business is going to go,” Izzy said. “Starting a business means you just have to keep going, even if you don't sell anything.”
run towards the future
The road to Olympic glory is fraught with challenges, from the physical strain of rigorous training to the financial burden of professional sports.
Sami grew up skiing at Wasatch and Park City Ski & Snowboard, and her growth as a skier has been recognized by both organizations.
“I went to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver when I was little. I watched the mogul event and Hannah Carney won the metal,” Sami said. “I was already leaning toward freestyle because I love jumping. Watching Hannah and her father, who is an airist, he taught me a lot, but he inspired me. He gave me.”
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