Sophie Hediger, a snowboarder who competed for Switzerland at the 2022 Winter Olympics, is dead at 26.
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Hediger died after she was caught in an avalanche while snowboarding at Switzerland’s Arosa resort.
“We are stunned,” said Swiss-Ski CEO Walter Reusser in a statement. “Our thoughts are with Sophie’s family, to whom we express our deepest condolences.”
Hediger was poised as an up-and-coming star of the sport. She competed in women’s snowboard cross and in the mixed team snowboard cross at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. She also made the podium in multiple FISA Snowboard World Cup Events.
Hediger won gold in snowboard cross at the 2023 FISU World University Games in Lake Placid, New York.
Sophie Hediger’s Swiss teammates shared tributes to the young athlete on social media.
The Swiss Snowboardcross Team shared a tribute to the young athlete on social media, writing in Swiss, “Sophie Hediger, a member of the national snowboard cross team, died on Monday in an avalanche accident in Arosa at the age of just 26. We are deeply shocked and our thoughts are with the bereaved family.”
Kalle Koblet, who competed with Hediger in the mixed team snowboard cross event at the 2022 Olympics, shared the Swiss Snowboardcross Team’s post to his own Instagram story, along with three hearts.
Hediger was an avid social media user, frequently posting photos of her training regimen, world travels, and adorable dog, Heiba.
Her final post was in celebration of her ninth place finish at the World Cup at the Cervino Ski Paradise in Italy.
“Crashed in 1/4-finals.💁♀️🌨️ happy about my riding and my best qualification I’ve ever had with p3.☺️,” she shared. “thank you @bombac.rok & @lorenzo_marten for the super fast boards 🫶🏼 & congrats to all our 🇨🇭ladies for the great team result. 🤩.”