Certainly one of snowboarding’s pioneering figures died in an avalanche on Saturday, Jan. 11. Ueli Kestenholz, 50, was using within the backcountry of the Swiss Alps with a good friend when a slide was triggered and swept him away. The Swiss rider, who received a bronze medal in snowboarding’s 1998 debut Winter Olympic Video games, was airlifted from the scene. He was later pronounced useless.
The reason for the avalanche has not been introduced, although in keeping with a assertion from the Valais police, an investigation is presently underway. Kestenholz’s associate was on skis and was additionally caught within the avalanche, however was capable of extricate himself. He known as for assist, and the Valais Cantonal Rescue Group (OCVS) responded. Three Air Zermatt helicopters have been scrambled to help.
Kestenholz was transported by helicopter first to a hospital in Visp, after which to a hospital in Sion, the place he died.
Kestenholz’s Legacy: Certainly one of Snowboarding’s First Olympic Medals
Kestehholz competed for Switzerland within the very first Olympic Video games to function snowboarding as a sanctioned occasion. He received a bronze medal within the big slalom occasion on the 1998 Nagano Video games, turning into one of many first three individuals to earn an Olympic medal within the sport. He shared the rostrum with Thomas Prugge (Italy, silver) and Ross Rebagliati (Canada, gold).
Snowboarding has been in each winter Olympic Video games since.
Kestenholz additionally competed on the 2002 Salt Lake Metropolis Winter Video games and the 2006 Torino Video games. He received gold medals on the X-Video games in Boardercross/BoarderX in 2003 and 2004. He retired from competitors after his 2006 Olympic Video games, however he didn’t cease snowboarding. As a substitute, he refocused and devoted himself to freeriding and speedriding, one other sport he helped pioneer.
In 2009, he made the first-ever speedriding descent of Switzerland’s Matterhorn. Then, in 2010, Kestenholz starred in and produced the award-winning journey sports activities movie Playgravity. In it, he and Mathias Roten made speedriding first descents of Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau in a single day.
“Life’s too brief — for one sport!” Kestenholz’s web site reads. “It’s about experiencing the circulation when snowboarding, speedriding, kitesurfing, paragliding, browsing, wingfoiling, mountainbiking, or any out of doors adventures.”
If you wish to look again at Kestenholz’s excessive sports activities profession, his YouTube channel is stuffed with snowboarding and speedriding movies. His legacy lives on.
