Estelle Balet
 Balet at the 2014 Freeride World Tour in Chamonix | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Swiss |
| Born | 19 December 1994 Sion, Valais, Switzerland |
| Died | 19 April 2016 (aged 21) Orsières, Valais, Switzerland |
| Occupation | Snowboarder |
| Years active | 2004–16 |
| Height | 169 cm (5 ft 7 in) |
| Website | estellebalet |
| 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.
Balet started skiing early in her childhood. At the age of ten she transitioned from skiing to snowboarding.[1] Balet specialized particularly in switch, frontside 180, frontside 360 and jib.[2] 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.[3]
On 19 April 2016, Balet died in an avalanche while snowboarding in Orsières.[1] 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.[4]
References
- 1 2 Chrisafis, Angelique (19 April 2016). "Estelle Balet, snowboarding champion, killed at age of 21 in avalanche". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- ↑ "Estelle Balet". Swatch. Archived from the original on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- ↑ "Champion Swiss snowboarder Estelle Balet dies in avalanche". BBC News Online. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- ↑ Chan, Sewell (19 April 2016). "Estelle Balet, Champion Snowboarder, Dies in Swiss Avalanche". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 April 2016.