Estelle Balet

Estelle Balet

Photograph of Estelle Balet, taken in 2014

Balet at the 2014 Freeride World Tour in Chamonix
Personal information
Nationality Swiss
Born (1994-12-19)19 December 1994
Sion, Valais, Switzerland
Died 19 April 2016(2016-04-19) (aged 21)
Orsières, Valais, Switzerland
Occupation Snowboarder
Years active 2004–16
Height 169 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Website estellebalet.com
Sport
Country Switzerland
Sport Snowboarding
Achievements and titles
World finals Two world titles

Estelle Balet (19 December 1994 – 19 April 2016) was a Swiss freeride snowboarder and two-time world champion in 2015 and 2016 at the Freeride World Tour. She died in an avalanche on 19 April 2016, at the age of 21.[1]

Snowboarding

Balet started skiing early in her childhood. At the age of ten she transitioned from skiing to snowboarding.[2] Having completed the Freeride World qualifier, she entered the Freeride World Tour at the age of eighteen. Balet specialized particularly in switch, frontside 180, frontside 360 and jib.[3] In 2015, Balet became the youngest ever Freeride World Tour champion when she won the women's snowboarding event. She won the same event in 2016.[4]

Death

On 19 April 2016, Balet died in an avalanche while snowboarding in Orsières.[2] She was filming a snowboard segment for a film called Exploring the Known on Le Portalet in southwestern Switzerland. Despite swift action from emergency services and attendance from Air Glaciers, she died from her injuries.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Estelle Balet: 21-year-old Swiss snowboarding champion dies in avalanche during film shoot". ABC News. 19 April 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 Chrisafis, Angelique (19 April 2016). "Estelle Balet, snowboarding champion, killed at age of 21 in avalanche". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  3. ↑ "Estelle Balet". Swatch. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  4. ↑ "Champion Swiss snowboarder Estelle Balet dies in avalanche". BBC News Online. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  5. ↑ Chan, Sewell (19 April 2016). "Estelle Balet, Champion Snowboarder, Dies in Swiss Avalanche". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 April 2016.

External links

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