Italian Skier Matilde Lorenzi, 19, Dies After Crash During Training: ‘This Is a Tragic Loss’

Italian skier Matilde Lorenzi has died after a crash during a training session, the country’s defense ministry announced Tuesday, Oct. 29. Lorenzi was 19 years old.

The “promising Italian skier” died after a fall during a training session on the Grawand G1 slope in Val Senales, a valley in northern Italy’s mountainous South Tyrol province just south of the Austrian border, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation said in a statement.

“The International Ski and Snowboard Federation extends its deepest condolences following the tragic loss of Matilde Lorenzi,” the federation said. “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Matilde Lorenzi, as announced by the Italian Ministry of Defense, who conveyed heartfelt condolences for the 19-year-old athlete of the Italian Army. FIS joins FISI President Flavio Roda and the entire Italian winter sports community in mourning, including coaches, athletes, teammates, the federal council, and all FISI staff.”

The federation said it’s “in mourning, standing by her family, friends, and everyone who cherished Matilde, honoring her memory today and always.”

Lorenzi was airlifted via helicopter to a hospital in Bolzano, where she later died, according to Olympics.com.

The young alpine skier was from Villarbasse, a community in Turin, according to the website. She followed her sister Lucrezia Lorenzi into the sport.

The 19-year-old was last season’s Italian junior champion, according to Olympics.com. She also finished in sixth place in last year’s Junior World Alpine Ski Championships and eighth in the world’s super-G competition.

Former Olympic skiers mourned Lorenzi’s death after the International Ski and Snowboard Federation shared the news on social media Tuesday.

Italian Olympic skier Luca De Aliprandini, Spanish Olympic skier Juan del Campo, Swiss Olympic skier Michelle Gisin and Austrian Olympic skiers Philipp Schörghofe, Michaela Kirchgasser and Nina Ortlieb all shared broken or black heart emojis in response to the federation’s social media tribute to Lorenzi.

“Unbelievable,” Slovakian Olympic skier Andreas Žampa responded with a broken heart emoji.

“So much love to her family, friends, and teammates,” U.S. Olympian Mikaela Shiffrin wrote.

“This is a tragic loss,” added retired U.S. Olympian Lindsey Vonn, who also paid tribute to Lorenzi with a post on her Instagram Stories. “Sending my thoughts to her family.”