19-year-old Italian skier Matilde Lorenzi dies after a crash during training
Italian skier Matilde Lorenzi, 19, died after a crash during a training session in northern Italy, the country’s Defense Ministry announced Tuesday.
The “promising Italian skier” fell while she was skiing on the Grawand G1 slope in Val Senales, a valley in northern Italy’s South Tyrol province, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation said in a statement.
“The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) extends its deepest condolences following the tragic loss of Matilde Lorenzi,” it said. “FISI is in mourning, standing by her family, friends, and everyone who cherished Matilde, honoring her memory today and always.”
Many former Olympic skiers, like Luca De Aliprandini of Italy, Juan del Campo of Spain and Michelle Gisin of Switzerland, paid their respects to Lorenzi in the comments on the FIS Instagram post.
“So much love to her family, friends, and teammates,” U.S. Olympian Mikaela Shiffrin wrote.
“This is a tragic loss,” said retired U.S. Olympian Lindsey Vonn, who also posted a tribute on her Instagram story. “Sending my thoughts to her family.”
Lorenzi, who was part of the Italian army’s sports section, was last season’s Italian junior champion, according to Olympics.com. She finished sixth in the downhill at last year’s Junior World Alpine Ski Championships and eighth in the super-G.
Her best result on the FIS Europa Cup circuit was an 11th-place finish in a super-G in December, the website says.
