Matilda Rapaport, a 30-year-old professional skier from Sweden, passed away a few days ago after suffering injuries sustained during an avalanche while filming in Chile. Rapaport was shooting promotional material for Ubisoft’s new extreme sports game, Steep.
The accident occurred outside of the resort town Farrelones, where a large snowstorm swept through the region last Thursday. Rapaport was in a coma for a week before she passed away due to lack of oxygen and brain damage.
Red Bull, one of Rapaport’s sponsors, issued this statement to The Guardian:
“Matilda was an extraordinary athlete, traveling the world to find her passion, ride steep terrain and share her bright smile,”
Rapaport’s death has been a heavy blow to the skiing community. Amid recent discussions about the increased risks that extreme skiers are taking in order to further their sport, a mishap like Rapaport’s is surely hard to face. Only a few months ago Powder Magazine, a skiing publication, released an article which interviewed extreme skiers about the dangers of the sport. Rapaport appeared on the cover of that issue.
