Olympic Love: How Skiing Brought Sarah and Jay Simson Together

NAPLES, Fla. (WINK) — Some love stories start with a chance meeting… some start on the slopes. For Naples couple Sarah and Jay Simson, it was both.

Their story began at the Lake Placid Olympic Training Center. “We met that first weekend in November of ’92,” Sarah recalled. “I attended the clinic, and he was teaching it.”

Just a few weeks later, their first official date was set. Jay asked, “‘Would you like to have dinner Friday night in Killington next week?’ And she said yes.” Three years later, he proposed, right at the same Olympic training center.

Skiing wasn’t just the spark that brought them together; it became the glue that kept them close.

“It's something that we're both equally passionate about,” Sarah said. “It adds to the fun we have as a couple together.”

Their shared love for the sport opened doors to travel, friendships, and unforgettable experiences around the globe. Jay estimates, “Through skiing, we've probably been to 20 countries… we realize how lucky and blessed we've been to share that and meet so many great people around the world who are just like us.”

Now living in Naples, they’ve traded skis for golf clubs, but their shared sense of adventure hasn’t faded. “We're both equally enthusiastic about a lot of the things that we do that tend to meld together,” Sarah said.

This summer, Sarah and Jay Simson will celebrate 30 years of marriage, all thanks to the sport that brought them together.