Olympic Gold Medalist Karine Ruby Dies

mike lewis

• June 01 2009
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Agence Zoom/Getty Images

The snowboard community has lost one of its pioneers. Karine Ruby, the first woman to win Olympic Gold in Giant Slalom, died in a tragic mountaineering accident Friday along with one other near Chamonix, France.

Ruby, who is from the nearby Haute-Savoie region, fell into a crevasse while guiding on the Tour de Ronde of the Mont Blanc massif.

A third man was seriously injured in the fall and was taken to a hospital in Geneva. The two unidentified victims, who were apparently roped in with Ruby, were her guided clients.

Before retiring from professional snowboarding in 2006 at 28, Ruby’s accomplishments on the racing circuit included her ‘98 Nagano Gold, a Silver medal at the ‘02 SLC Games, 122 World Cup podiums, 67 victories and six World Champion medals.