(Getty)
Two U.S. Ski Team prospects were killed Monday in an avalanche in the Austrian Alps near Soelden.
Bryce Astle, 19, and Ronnie Berlack, 20, were practicing near the Rettenbach glacier, which is close to where the season-opening World Cup races are held.
Astle and Berlack were part of a 10-member developmental team of skiers who were being trained for a potential spot on the U.S. World Cup team.
“Ronnie and Bryce were both outstanding ski racers who were passionate about their sport – both on the race course and skiing the mountain,” U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Tiger Shaw said. “Our hearts go out to the Berlack and Astle families, as well as to their extended sport family. Both of them loved what they did and conveyed that to those around them.”
Here’s what you need to know about the incident:
1. Berlack And Astle Were Part of a Group of 6 Skiers
Berlack and Astle were 2 of 6 skiers descending from the 3,056-meter Gaislachkogel when they left the slope and apparently set off the avalanche. The other 4 escaped unhurt.
The avalanche alert had been declared after days of heavy snow and warmer temperatures.
2. Berlack Was 20-Years-Old And From New Hampshire
Ronnie Berlack. (burkiebearblog photo)
Berlack, 20, was from Franconia, New Hampshire.
He was named to the developmental team for potential World Cup racers after 2 top-20 finishes at the 2013 U.S. National Championships.
Berlack excelled in the downhill.
3. Astle, a Utah Native, Was 19
Astle hailed from Sandy, Utah, and was 19-years-old.
He was added to the developmental squad after an impressive season, including two top-10 results at last month’s NorAm Cup races in Canada.
Astle stood out in the slalom/giant slalom competitions.
Astle had a website, astleboys.com, which chronicled his career as an up-and-coming skier.
4. The U.S. Team is in Shock
(burkiebearblog.com photo)
According to Alpine director Patrick Riml, the U.S. Ski team is “in shock.”
“We are all very close,” said Riml, an Austrian who was born and grew up in Soelden. “We train a lot in Park City. We’ll see how they handle the whole thing and how they react.”
Riml went on to say “it’s a shock for everybody. Two great boys, great athletes, good skiers. They were fun to have around. We are all in shock, still. It’s very tragic.”
5. These Are The 1st U.S. Ski Teams Deaths Due to an Avalanche
(astleboys.com photo)
According to veteran U.S. men’s ski team head coach Sasha Rearick, the deaths are the first due to an avalanche for the team ever.
“It’s our worst nightmare come true,” Rearick told USA TODAY. “We’ve never had a death of one of our athletes from an avalanche.
“Unfortunately, there were no coaches with them at that time. There was a call, and people tried to dig them out.”
