U.S. World Champion and Pro Skier Kyle Smaine Dies in Avalanche in Japan

His wife, Kyle Smaine, a former world champion freestyle skier from America, confirmed that he died in an avalanche in Japan on Sunday.

“Dear Husband and my whole world, officially married November 18, 2022, which not many people knew about,” Smaine’s wife, snowboarder Jenna Dramise, Facebook: Posted Monday. “I’m so incredibly thankful that I got to marry you and have you in my life. You loved skiing more then anyone I’ve ever met.”

31-year-old pro skier from Lake Tahoe, California was among five foreign nationals who were caught in an avalanche while backcountry skiing in Nagano, Japan’s central prefecture, at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Smaine was killed shortly before his death. Shared a video on Instagram He is shown skiing during a Japan Marketing Trip.

In the caption, he wrote: “this is what brings me back to Japan each winter. Unbelievable snow quality, non-stop storms, and really fun terrain that seems to get better then more exploring you do.”

Nagano police reported that the deadly avalanche happened on Mount Hakuba’s eastern side.

Smaine was joined by four other men who were skiing in separate groups on the mountain which is 8,100 feet high.

After the avalanche, the other three skiers were able to climb down the mountain by themselves. However, Smaine and an additional man were found Monday without any vital signs.

After heavy snowfall over the past few days, Japanese weather officials had issued an avalanche alert for the area.

Fellow pro skier Adam Ü, who was skiing with Smaine Sunday, told outdoor magazine Mountain Gazette They had just completed a run, when another skier in the group triggered the avalanche.

“We saw it coming,” Ü told the outlet. “We heard the crack. We realized it is a big one. We started running and then we got hit.”

Ü was dug out from underneath nearly five feet of snow by rescuers, but Smaine and another skier, who has not been named but was said to be an Austrian national, were not as fortunate.

The outlet reported that Smaine had been thrown more than 163 feet in the air and was killed. Meanwhile, the other victim died of internal injuries.

Smaine was a competitive skier for 10 years and won a gold medal at the FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships 2015. In 2018, he retired from competitive skiing.

The US Freeski Team mourned Smaine’s death on Instagram, writing: “today we lost an incredible person, friend, skier and teammate to the mountains.”

Jenna Smaine, his wife, survived him. She wrote that she met her husband for the first time in 2010 while hitchhiking in New Zealand. She described their 13 years of marriage as “the best damn years of my life.”

“I know you had the best runs in your life out there in Japan and could never blame you for doing what you loved,” The young widow was added. “I do wish I could tell you that one secret I always had, that I loved you. It never really was a secret because I said it at least 10 times a day to you. I can’t wait to see you again.”

With Post wires

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases