“Sport Ueli Kestenholz made history 18 years ago when he won snowboarding’s first ever Olympic medal SNOWBOARDING legend Ueli Kestenholz died after a tragic accident in Switzerland. Kestenholz, who represented Switzerland at the 1998 and 2002 Winter Games, passed away at the age of 50. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! Snowboarding legend”, — write: www.thesun.co.uk
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Ueli Kestenholz made history 18 years ago when he won snowboarding’s first ever Olympic medal
SNOWBOARDING legend Ueli Kestenholz died after a tragic accident in Switzerland.
Kestenholz, who represented Switzerland at the 1998 and 2002 Winter Games, passed away at the age of 50.
Thank you!
Snowboarding legend Ueli Kestenholz died after a tragic accident in Switzerland 
Kestenholz represented Switzerland at the 1998 and 2002 Winter Games The Swiss Ski Federation announced the sad news on Tuesday and said the 1998 Olympic bronze medallist got trapped in an avalanche in the Lotschental valley on Sunday.
Kestenholz was snowboarding with a friend when the horrible accident took place.
The Swiss snowboarding pioneer was transported to a local hospital where he later died.
The Swiss Ski Federation said, “His life was far too short,” before adding that the “Swiss-Ski and the snowboard community are devastated.”
The federation added: “Ueli didn’t just love snowboarding in all its facets.
“After retiring from competitive sports in 2006, he remained a professional outdoor athlete — right up to his last breath.
“He was a freerider, speedrider, paraglider pilot, kitesurfer, skydiver, surfer, wingfoiler, mountain biker — a true crossover athlete.”
And Swiss-Ski President Peter Barandun said the federation “extend[s] our deepest condolences to Ueli’s family and loved ones.”
Kestenholz competed for Switzerland in the first ever Olympic snowboarding event in 1998.
That is where he finished third at the Nagano Games in the parallel giant slalom event.
In fact, he made history 18 years ago when he won snowboarding’s first ever Olympic medal.