9.9 C
London
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Kyle Smaine dead: World champion skier tragically dies in Japan avalanche aged just 31

- Advertisement -

Former world champion freestyle skier Kyle Smaine died in an avalanche in Japan, his family has confirmed.

Smaine, 31, died alongside an unnamed Austrian skier after tragedy struck on the slopes of the Hakuba Norikura mountain near the Tsugaike ski resort on Sunday. It’s understood the South Lake Tahoe Professional was on a marketing trip for Ikon Pass and Nagano Tourism when the avalanche hit.

Fellow professional skier Adam U was also on the trip but was rescued after he was trapped on the 2,459-metre-high mountain for 25 minutes. “We saw it coming,” he told Mountain Gazette. “We heard the crack. We realised it [was] a big one. We started running and then we got hit.”

Former world champion freestyle skier Kyle Smaine tragically died in an avalanche in Japan
(
Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

U explained him, Smaine and Mountain Gazette photographer Grant Gunderson were “going out for fun” between shoots on Sunday. Gunderson returned to Tsugaike after their first run down the mountain, but U and Smaine met another group of Austrian skiers when they returned to the summit.

There will be more to follow on this breaking sports news story – we’ll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video.
Please check back regularly for updates on this developing story HERE. Get email updates on the day’s biggest stories straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletters.

Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you by following The Mirror every time you see our name.

Follow The Mirror on Google News – CLICK HERE and click the star
Follow The Mirror on Apple News – CLICK HERE available on Apple devices
Follow The Mirror on Flipboard – CLICK HERE and click follow

Follow us on Twitter @mirrorfootball – the official Mirror football Twitter account – for all the latest football news as it happens in real time. For other sports news, follow us on @mirrorsport.

You can sign up for Twitter alerts for breaking news here @mirrorbreaking_ and follow us @dailymirror, for all the latest updates.
Keep up-to-date with the latest football news by following us on Facebook at facebook.com/mirrorfootball and with sport news at facebook.com/mirrorsport

See all our social accounts you can follow here: mirror.co.uk/social

Read More

Read More

Read More

Read More

Read More

Latest news
Related news