What's New
Sophie Hediger, a former Olympian, died on Monday in an avalanche accident in an Arosa resort in Switzerland, according to the country's ski federation's statement.
The Context
Hediger, 26, had grown up in Horgen, Switzerland but spent a lot of time in Arosa. She died while freeride skiing, which the Swiss Ski Federation called a "beloved hobby" of hers. Freeride skiing takes place on un-groomed terrain and involves exploring deep powder snow as well as steep runs.
"For the Swiss Ski family, the tragic death of Sophie Hediger has cast a dark shadow over the Christmas holidays," Walter Reusser, the CEO sport of Swiss-Ski, said in a statement. "We are immeasurably sad. We will honor Sophie's memory."
What To Know
The Swiss Ski Federation will not provide any additional details into how Hediger died "in consultation with the bereaved family and her partner."
French paper Le Parisien reported that Graubünden cantonal police shared Hediger, whose name was not confirmed, and another person was on a Black Diamond run at the time of the avalanche. The area had allegedly been closed due to avalanche risk.
It took emergency teams and rescuers two hours to locate Hediger. She was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Le Parisien. Large amounts of snow had fallen for several days prior to the incident.
Who Was Sophie Hediger?
Hediger had celebrated her 26th birthday nine days before her death, on December 14.
Hediger entered the World Cup competitions in the 2019-20 season. She achieved her first two World Cup podium placements in the 2023-24 season in snowboard cross. Snowboard cross is a competition between four to six people throughout a course that typically gets narrow and can include various jumps, drops and turns. The course is a half kilometer long and ends after about 60 to 90 seconds.
She had finished second place in January in St. Moritz, Switzerland, for the World Cup.
"Wow! what just happened yesterday! got my first World Cup podium at home! couldn't be happier," she wrote in an Instagram post after the event.
Hediger finished in third at another World Cup event in March in Gudauri, Georgia.
She posted about a shoulder injury soon after, having "crashed in Sierra, Nevada and injured my shoulder." Hediger underwent surgery and said she "will come back stronger next season."
According to her Instagram, Hediger placed ninth in her first World Cup of the season on December 15. She had planned to go to the Freestyle World Championships in St. Moritz in 2025 to win a "gold, silver or bronze medal."
Hediger posted on the website that she also enjoyed traveling, hiking, wake surfing, reading and brunch. Another Instagram post from June 14, 2020, showed Hediger with a dog, and she captioned the photo with "buddy."
Her site also had links to her studies at The University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons and AKAD for a vocational baccalaureate.
Sophie Hediger's Olympic Career
Hediger competed in the 2022 Winter Olympics in the women's snowboard cross as well as in the mixed team snowboard cross.
Her team came in seventh place for mixed snowboard cross, and she came in 19th place in the Beijing games.
On her website, Hediger said she was "looking forward to great races" in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
What People Are Saying
Walter Reusser, the CEO of Swiss-Ski, in a press release: "We are stunned and our thoughts are with Sophie's family, to whom we express our deepest condolences."
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