I was very saddened today to hear that Former Olympic champion Karine Ruby Ruby died in a climbing fall in Mont Blanc, Chanonix, France


French Prime Minister Francois Fillon called Ruby an "exceptional sportswoman."

"Karine incarnated the emergence of snowboarding in France," Fillon said in a statement. "The people of France will hold on to the memory of her talent and her joie de vivre."

Ruby won a gold medal in the giant slalom at the 1998 Nagano Olympics and a silver in the parallel giant slalom at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. She was a six-time world champion with 65 snowboard World Cup victories.


http://www.topix.com/winter-sports/snowboarding/2009/05/former-olympic-snowboard-champion-karine-ruby-dies-at-31-in-mount-blanc-climbing-accident?fromrss=1