Olympic Snowboarder Sophie Hediger Dies in Avalanche at 26

The Swiss athlete was caught in an avalanche while freeriding at Arosa resort, just days after her 26th birthday.

Sophie Hediger, a member of Switzerland's snowboard cross team and 2022 Winter Olympian, died in an avalanche at the Arosa resort on December 23, 2024.
Hediger was freeriding on a closed slope with a companion when the avalanche struck; she was found two hours later but could not be revived.
The heavy snowfall in recent days had significantly increased avalanche risks in the region, according to local authorities.
Hediger had recently achieved her first two World Cup podium finishes during the 2023-24 season and was preparing for the 2025 World Championships in Switzerland.
The Swiss-Ski Federation and the snowboarding community mourn her loss, describing her passing as a tragic and untimely end to a promising career.