French Olympic snowboarder, 40, swept away and killed in an avalanche in Switzerland

French world champion snowboarder, 40, is swept away and killed in an avalanche in Switzerland during off-piste descent on 10,000 sq ft mountain

  • Julie Pomagalski perished while skiing off-piste with four others on Tuesday
  • She died when a sheet of snow broke away on a 2,961-metre summit  
  • The second fatality was identified as Bruno Putelli, a mountain rescuer

France’s former world champion snowboarder Julie Pomagalski has died aged 40 in an avalanche in Switzerland, the French Olympic Committee announced on Wednesday. 

Pomagalski was one of two French freeride snowboarders to perish in the avalanche when skiing off-piste in a group of four people on Tuesday.

Police in the canton of Uri said the two died coming down the 2,961-metre Gemsstock summit, favoured by off-piste skiers for its steep slopes and abundance of powder snow.

France’s former world champion snowboarder Julie Pomagalski has died aged 40 in an avalanche in Switzerland, the French Olympic Committee announced on Wednesday

Pomagalski was one of two French freeride snowboarders to perish in the avalanche when skiing off-piste in a group of four people on Tuesday

Pomagalski was one of two French freeride snowboarders to perish in the avalanche when skiing off-piste in a group of four people on Tuesday

Police in the canton of Uri said the two died coming down the 2,961-metre Gemsstock summit

Police in the canton of Uri said the two died coming down the 2,961-metre Gemsstock summit

‘For reasons still unknown a sheet of snow broke away’ and three of the group were swept away.

Pomagalski and the other skier ‘were completely buried’ while the third person suffered only ‘light’ injuries and was able to escape.

The Ski Chrono website identified the second fatality as Bruno Putelli, a mountain rescuer from Albertville. 

Gemsstock summit (pictured) is favoured by off-piste skiers for its steep slopes and abundance of powder snow

Gemsstock summit (pictured) is favoured by off-piste skiers for its steep slopes and abundance of powder snow

Pomagalski and the other skier 'were completely buried' while the third person suffered only 'light' injuries and was able to escape

Pomagalski and the other skier ‘were completely buried’ while the third person suffered only ‘light’ injuries and was able to escape

Pomagalski was crowned world champion in snowboard cross in 1999 and claimed the World Cup title for the discipline in 2004 and registered nine wins on the world Cup circuit.

She competed in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and in the 2006 Turin Games. 

The French Olympic team offered its condolences on Twitter.

‘The tragic death of Julie, an Olympian and world champion snowboarder, leaves the French Olympic team in mourning for one of its own,’ the team said.

Pomagalski was crowned world champion in snowboard cross in 1999 and claimed the World Cup title for the discipline in 2004 and registered nine wins on the world Cup circuit

Pomagalski was crowned world champion in snowboard cross in 1999 and claimed the World Cup title for the discipline in 2004 and registered nine wins on the world Cup circuit

Pomagalski  competed in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and in the 2006 Turin Games

Pomagalski  competed in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and in the 2006 Turin Games