For Butte brothers Bryon and Bradley Wilson, skiing started early. It was a casual affair, though, spending weekends with their parents at Lost Trail Powder Mountain and Discovery Ski Area.
Today, the Wilson’s ski for a living. Bryon, 25, and Bradley, 21, are members of the U.S. Freestyle Moguls Team, and both are vying for a trip the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Japan.
The brothers compete in the same event and both describe the same drive to win. But, they attribute their successes to each other as much as to themselves.
“I feel like it’s been a team effort since we started,” Bryon said. “I don’t think we could have done it individually.”
“To trust that Bryon is rooting for me or for him to trust that I’m rooting for him, it kind of gives you a sense of calm,” Bradley said.
The pair now lives in Park City, Utah where they train with the U.S. team, including Bozeman native Heather McPhie.
Bryon has already had Olympic success, bringing home a bronze medal from the 2010 Vancouver games. He is currently ranked 10th in the world for freestyle moguls, winning his first World Cup in Kreischberg, Austria last season.
The 2012/2013 season was Bradley’s most successful, including four World Cup podium finishes. He is currently ranked 4th in the world.
Five more qualification events remain to determine which three men and three women will make the Olympic squad.
“Hopefully, both Brad and I will be in the top three,” Bryon said.
