Professional extreme skier Matilda Rapaport died Wednesday after she was caught in an avalanche as she was filming a promo for Ubisoft’s new game, Steep. Rapaport was just 30 years old.
Rapaport was in the Andes mountains near Chile’s capital of Santiago. She had been skiing in a film shoot after a major snowstorm when the avalanche broke, and she later died in the hospital due to oxygen deprivation and brain damage.
Ubisoft released a statement on the incident, via GameSpot:
“We are deeply saddened to learn the death of Matilda Rapaport, the remarkable Swedish freeskiing athlete,” a spokesperson said. “During a video production in Chile on Thursday, July 14th, Matilda was caught in an avalanche. Despite the medical care and treatment over the subsequent days, it was not possible to save her life.
“Matilda’s courage, passion, and desire to share the sport she loved with the world served as an inspiration for other athletes and for us all. This tragic accident has deeply touched us. Our hearts and prayers go out to her husband and her wider family at this difficult time.”
She had survived an avalanche before, as she discussed a couple of years ago and described in scary detail, including her fears of getting back out on the slopes:
Rapaport was more than just a skier. She was in a number of skiing movies such as Pure, Shades of Winter, and will also be seen in the upcoming film, Between. On top of that, she was a contributor to Women’s Health magazine, discussing her mental training and fears.
Her sponsor, Red Bull, wrote a remembrance piece highlighting her bravery and many successes.
