The skiing world mourns the loss of 19-year-old Matilde Lorenzi, who passed away following a severe accident on the slopes of Val Senales, in the Trentino-Alto Adige region of norther Italy, during a training session on Monday.
The Italian Ministry of Defense shared the news, with Minister Guido Crosetto offering heartfelt condolences to her family and teammates. Lorenzi, a young athlete with the Italian Army and a promising talent in Italian alpine skiing, had been preparing for the upcoming season.
The accident reportedly occurred at high speed, with Lorenzi losing control as her skis split apart, resulting in a powerful face-first impact with the snow and propelling her into a dramatic fall off-piste.
Originally from Piedmont, Lorenzi had honed her skills on the snowy runs of Sestriere and was training at 3,100 meters on the Gravand G1 trail of the glacier in Val Senales, a popular spot. Lorenzi was quickly intubated and airlifted to the hospital in Bolzano, where doctors could do little to save her.
Matilde Lorenzi, whose sister Lucrezia also competes at a professional level, began racing competitively at age 15 and advanced in the ranks of Europe’s alpine circuits. Her achievements include an 11th place in the Super-G at St. Moritz earlier in 2023, with a first-place finish in the Italian championship Super-G. Lorenzi was expected to turn 20 in just a few weeks on November 15 and had already made a name for herself in speed events.
