Olympic Snowboarder Ueli Kestenholz Dies

Ueli Kestenholz, a 50-year-old Swiss snowboarder and Olympic bronze medalist, died after being caught in an avalanche in the Lötschental valley of Switzerland — Valais canton, Switzerland, on Sunday. The Swiss Ski federation confirmed his death on Tuesday, expressing devastation. Kestenholz was a pioneer in snowboarding, securing a bronze medal at the 1998 Japan — Nagano Olympics, the sport's debut. He also competed in two more Winter Games and won the snowboardcross championship twice at the X Games. He was snowboarding with a friend when the avalanche occurred at an altitude of 2,400 meters. His friend provided immediate assistance, and Kestenholz was airlifted to a hospital but later died. Berner Zeitung first reported his identity. Kestenholz had retired professionally in 2006 but remained active in extreme sports.