Swiss athlete Sophie Hediger, who climbed the podium twice at the snowboarding World Cup and participated in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, died in an avalanche in Arosa, in the east of the country.
Swiss athlete Sophie Hediger PHOTO: Instagram
The death was officially announced on Tuesday by the Swiss Ski Federation.
Hediger, a member of the national snowboard cross team, celebrated her 26th birthday on December 14, according to Agerpres.
She achieved her first two World Cup podiums last winter, with her best result being second in St-Moritz in January 2024 during the 2025 Worlds dressage, Swiss-Ski, the Swiss ski federation, said.
Hediger also competed in the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
“For the Swiss Ski Federation, a dark shadow has fallen right around Christmas with the tragic death of Sophia Hediger. We are incredibly sad. We will honor Sophie’s memory”, promised Walter Reusser, president of Swiss-Ski, in a statement.
On Monday, Graubunden police announced the athlete’s death after an avalanche occurred, while Hediger was outside the ski slope with another person.
His body was found only two hours later.
