Ueli Kestenholz, Olympic snowboard medallist, dies after being trapped in Swiss avalanche

January 13, 2026

TL;DR

Ueli Kestenholz, a bronze medalist in the first Olympic snowboard race, died in an avalanche.
He was 50 years old.
Kestenholz won bronze in the snowboard giant slalom at the 1998 Nagano Olympics.
He competed in two additional Winter Games and was a two-time X-Games snowboardcross champion.
The avalanche occurred in the Lötschental valley of Valais canton while he was snowboarding with a friend.
He was rescued by his friend and airlifted to a hospital but later died.
Swiss Ski president Peter Barandun extended condolences to his family and loved ones.

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