U.S.Ski Team
Jan 5, 2015 19:34:43 GMT -5
Post by The Hoff on Jan 5, 2015 19:34:43 GMT -5
Yikes!
espn.go.com/olympics/skiing/story/_/id/12123529/two-us-ski-team-prospects-die-avalanche-austria
espn.go.com/olympics/skiing/story/_/id/12123529/two-us-ski-team-prospects-die-avalanche-austria
Two prospects from the U.S. Ski Team were killed in an avalanche Monday while skiing near their European training base in the Austrian Alps.
The team said Ronnie Berlack, 20, and Bryce Astle, 19, died in the incident near the Rettenbach glacier in the mountains over Soelden, the venue for the annual season-opening World Cup races.
Berlack, from Franconia, New Hampshire, and Astle, from Sandy, Utah, were part of a group of six skiers who were descending from the 3,056-meter Gaislachkogel when they left the prepared slope and apparently set off the avalanche. The other four skied out of the slide and escaped unhurt.
Officials in the Tyrolean region said an avalanche alert had been declared for the area after days of heavy snowfall and mild temperatures.
"Ronnie and Bryce were both outstanding ski racers who were passionate about their sport -- both on the race course and skiing the mountain," U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association president and CEO Tiger Shaw said. "Our hearts go out to the Berlack and Astle families, as well as to their extended sport family. Both of them loved what they did and conveyed that to those around them."
The tragedy has left the U.S. Ski Team "in shock," Alpine director Patrick Riml told The Associated Press in Zagreb, Croatia, where the American slalom team was preparing for a World Cup race on Tuesday.
Head coach Sascha Rearick left Zagreb shortly after being informed and traveled back to Austria to be with the so-called development team Berlack and Astle were part of.
Riml said the athletes were free to decide whether they still wanted to compete in Tuesday's night race, adding the team planned to wear mourning bands.
The team said Ronnie Berlack, 20, and Bryce Astle, 19, died in the incident near the Rettenbach glacier in the mountains over Soelden, the venue for the annual season-opening World Cup races.
Berlack, from Franconia, New Hampshire, and Astle, from Sandy, Utah, were part of a group of six skiers who were descending from the 3,056-meter Gaislachkogel when they left the prepared slope and apparently set off the avalanche. The other four skied out of the slide and escaped unhurt.
Officials in the Tyrolean region said an avalanche alert had been declared for the area after days of heavy snowfall and mild temperatures.
"Ronnie and Bryce were both outstanding ski racers who were passionate about their sport -- both on the race course and skiing the mountain," U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association president and CEO Tiger Shaw said. "Our hearts go out to the Berlack and Astle families, as well as to their extended sport family. Both of them loved what they did and conveyed that to those around them."
The tragedy has left the U.S. Ski Team "in shock," Alpine director Patrick Riml told The Associated Press in Zagreb, Croatia, where the American slalom team was preparing for a World Cup race on Tuesday.
Head coach Sascha Rearick left Zagreb shortly after being informed and traveled back to Austria to be with the so-called development team Berlack and Astle were part of.
Riml said the athletes were free to decide whether they still wanted to compete in Tuesday's night race, adding the team planned to wear mourning bands.