Swiss Olympic snowboarder Sophie Hediger dies in avalanche at 26

Hediger secured her first two World Cup podium places in the 2023-24 season and took part in the 2022 Winter Olympics in China.

Sophie Hediger smiles and holds her snowboard outside

Sophie Hediger took second place at the FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup Men's and Women's Snowboard Cross in St. Moritz, Switzerland, on Jan. 26.Millo Moravski / Agence Zoom via Getty Images file

/ Source: Reuters

By Reuters

ZURICH — A member of Switzerland’s national snowboard cross team has died in an avalanche at the mountain resort of Arosa in the east of the country, the Swiss-Ski federation said Tuesday.

Sophie Hediger, 26, was caught up in the avalanche in Arosa, which lies west of Davos, on Monday, the federation said.

“We are speechless, and our thoughts are with Sophie’s family, to whom we express our deepest condolences,” Walter Reusser, the Sport CEO at Swiss-Ski said in a statement.

Hediger secured her first two World Cup podium places in the 2023-24 season and took part in the 2022 Winter Olympics in China, according to the federation.

Swiss-Ski said it would keep further details about her death private, as agreed with her family and partner.

Reuters