PARIS — Julie Pomagalski, a retired Olympic snowboarder from France, died in an avalanche in the Swiss Alps. She was 40.
Pomagalski competed in the parallel giant slalom at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and the the 2006 Turin Winter Games.
She won the 1999 World Championships snowboard cross title and remains the youngest-ever gold medalist in that event.
The French ski federation said Wednesday that Pomagalski died Tuesday but did not specify the location. French and Swiss media widely reported that the avalanche took place on Gemsstock mountain in the Swiss canton of Uri.
The federation said a guide, Bruno Cutelli, also died in the avalanche.
The French Olympic team offered its condolences on Twitter.
“The tragic death of Julie, an Olympian and world champion snowboarder, leaves the French Olympic team in mourning for one of its own,” the team said.