Featured Image: Matilde Lorenzi. Provided through Matilde Lorenzi’s Instagram account.
“She Was an Incredible Sister”
After the tragic passing of 19-year-old Italian ski talent Matilde Lorenzi, her family remembers her as a young woman full of life, talent, and promise. Her older sister, Lucrezia, shared a touching message about their unique bond, reflecting Matilde’s legacy on and off the slopes. “She was an incredible sister,” Lucrezia told Sky Sport. “I want to remember her as happy and successful on skis.” The sisters, deeply connected by a love of skiing, cherished their time together on the mountains. “Her soul is in mine,” Lucrezia said, “we shared many things and were very close.”
A Mission to Improve Skiing Safety
Determined to honor Matilde’s legacy by improving safety in the sport she loved, her father, Adolfo Lorenzi, hopes her memory can inspire critical changes in ski racing. Rather than flowers, the family has encouraged donations to the “Project in Memory of Matilde,” a fund dedicated to advancing skier safety. Adolfo’s vision includes developing a specialized airbag system for technical disciplines, similar to the mandatory safety measures already used in the World Cup speed races. “We believe that what happened to Matilde must be an opportunity,” he said.
Adolfo is determined to see improvements that could help prevent similar tragedies. “We need a device that protects a skier better at the moment of impact,” he explained. He emphasized that the family holds no one responsible for Matilde’s accident, expressing that she received the best care possible. “There is nothing to complain about,” he said. “We believe this fate could have befallen other athletes. That’s why something must be done.”
Remembering Matilde’s Life Beyond the Slopes
While Matilde was a passionate skier, her father describes her as a multifaceted young woman with a genuine curiosity about the world. “She was more than just a skier,” he reflected. Matilde pursued her education with the same intensity she brought to skiing, reading widely and thinking critically. “She wanted to discover the world and, above all, understand it,” Adolfo shared, highlighting her eagerness to learn and grow.
A Community United in Grief and Purpose
Matilde’s loss has resonated deeply within the skiing community. Her friend Federico Tomasoni expressed his heartbreak in an emotional post, sharing a photo of their hands together and writing, “You are the most beautiful thing that life has given me… I love you, little star.” The International Ski Federation (FIS) and the Italian Ski Federation (FISI) offered their condolences. FISI President Flavio Roda suspended training sessions in her memory, sharing, “The family, friends, and everyone who loved Matilde should feel embraced.”
Skiers worldwide share in the Lorenzi family’s grief, including stars like Sofia Goggia, Tina Maze, and Tessa Worley, who expressed sorrow and called for awareness. “Our sport is so dangerous and doesn’t allow for mistakes,” Maze said.
In their resolve to honor Matilde’s memory, her family hopes to inspire positive change and a safer environment for the athletes who share her passion for skiing. Through their dedication, her legacy may one day extend beyond her achievements on the slopes, bringing lasting safety to the sport she loved.
Information Blick.ch
About the Author: SR Staff Report
