After the incident, many accounts emerged, recounting the tragic event. A recurring detail in these descriptions was Matilde hitting the icy ground after losing contact with the snow. This naturally raises questions about what happened with her skis. Witnesses noted that while descending the Gravand G1 slope, the high speed caused her skis to spread apart, resulting in a powerful fall that sent her crashing into the ice. Reports claim that she experienced a traumatic brain injury because of that fall.
Fortunately, the medical team was not far away. According to a report from Quotidiano Sportivo, Matilde’s rescue was swift, and she was intubated and airlifted to San Maurizio Hospital in Bolzano. The Carabinieri from the Selva Val Gardena training center also joined in the investigation. Despite these efforts, the sense of loss is profound. At the same time, questions arise about her identity and achievements.
Hailing from the snow town of Turin, Italy, Matilde Lorenzi came to fame last year with her back-to-back victory at the Absolute and Junior Super-G skiing contests in Italy. However, her talented feet did not stop there as soon as she rose through the ranks and challenged the big leagues. And guess what! She found success there as well. Reportedly, last year in December, Matilde took up the eleventh position at the Super-G contest in St. Mauritz. The finishing move fell short of earning a position in the top 10. Yet the acknowledgment and assistance she received from veteran players in the European League contributed to her success. Now, fast forward to March this year.
In March, Matilde Lorenzi shook the leaderboard in the Italian National Championship in Super-G and Giant Slalom. In both contests, the teenager took up the top rank while establishing herself as a potential candidate to uproot records in the diverse field of skiing sports. Her brave acts and talent attracted the Italian Army team to rope her in, promoting her talent for the upcoming days. Nonetheless, the fairy tale stopped just two weeks before Matilde’s 2oth birthday. The severity of the loss shook the big names subsequently.
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) even issued a condolence note following her passing, proof of how deeply her death has affected the skiing community. The Federation penned down, “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Matilde Lorenzi, as announced by the Italian Ministry of Defense, who conveyed heartfelt condolences for the 19-year-old athlete of the Italian Army. FIS joins FISI President Flavio Roda and the entire Italian winter sports community in mourning, including coaches, athletes, teammates, the federal council, and all FISI staff.” The loss stands to be an enormous blow to the sport that often comes under scrutiny because of the number of mishaps. Last season, another Italian ski racer had to face the blow. However, she managed to get away without meeting a similar outcome.
