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GARDEN CITY, Rich County — A 92-year-old woman from Utah is making waves. Dwan Young is the world's oldest female water skier.
Young's granddaughter secretly contacted the Guinness World Record. Then, at Christmas, her family made the big reveal.
"Before I get in the water, I get butterflies," Young said.
Once she gets on the water, the nervousness evaporates.
"It's the air flowing and the exhilaration. It's just a very fun, exciting sport," Young said.
Young said she fell in love with the sport at age 30.
"Our family bought a cabin at Bear Lake in the early 1960s. We built a ski float, and we just started skiing."
Through a lot of trial and error, Young went from skiing on two skis to the slalom.
"My kids kept saying, 'Grandma, bend your knees! Keep your arms straight and let the boat pull you out!' Now, at my age, I'm getting out of the water on two and just dropping one," Young said.
It's an incredible feat — earning her the title of the world's oldest female water skier.
"Our granddaughter, Becca, thought, 'You know, Grandma's kind of old. I wonder if she would qualify for Guinness?'"
Then, at a Christmas party, they presented her with a framed certificate.
"I thought it was a joke," Young said.
Her year-round training is no joke.
"Actually, I'm still playing tennis twice a week, and I'm doing water aerobics in the winter," Young said.
She puts in all that work to enjoy summers with her family at Bear Lake.
"If you have a desire to do something, whatever it is, and whatever your age, don't give up," Young said. "The lesson is just keep trying."
What's next for Young? Her grandkids would like her to try surfing. For now, she's content with sticking to waterskiing.
