Estelle Balet. (Freeride World Tour)

Estelle Balet. (Freeride World Tour)

A Freeride World Tour champion who was in Haines a month ago died in an avalanche in her home country of Switzerland on Tuesday, according to national news reports.

21-year-old Estelle Balet was the victor in the women’s snowboard category in this year’s Freeride competition. It was her second gold medal in the international big mountain ski and snowboard event. The Freeride made its second stop in Haines this March.

News reports say Balet had been filming in the Swiss Alps Tuesday when the avalanche struck.

A statement from the Freeride World Tour called Balet a ‘shining star’ who was on her way to becoming a ‘household name.’