News

Swiss downhill skier Barandun dies in paragliding accident

Posted November 05, 2018 6:00 am

The Associated Press

BERN, Switzerland (AP) - Gian Luca Barandun, a World Cup downhill skier from Switzerland, has died in a paragliding accident. He was 24.

The Swiss ski federation said Barandun, one of its best prospects in Alpine speed races, died Sunday morning.

"In this difficult period all of the Swiss ski family is thinking of Gian Luca's family," Markus Wolf, the federation's director general, said Monday in a statement.

Barandun started in eight World Cup downhill races. He placed 15th in Switzerland's signature race, the Lauberhorn downhill in Wengen, in January.

He also had 20th-place finishes in downhills in Val Gardena and Bormio, Italy, last December. His career-best World Cup result was ninth-place finish in an Alpine combined event in Bormio in December.

___

More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Article Comments

Article Categories
Content Providers Nation and World News Obituaries

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.