Ellie Soutter 2000-2018

The snowsports community is saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Ellie Soutter, 18.

Ellie was one of the country’s best up-and-coming snowboarders, competing in both snowboard cross and freeride.

A bronze medallist in snowboard cross at the 2017 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Erzurum, Turkey, Ellie claimed Team GB’s only medal of the event.

She spent the 2017/18 season competing on the Freeride Junior Tour, but was due to return to snowboard cross competition next month after being selected in the British team for the Junior World Championships in New Zealand. She was an inaugural member of the British Europa Cup snowboard cross programme which commenced earlier this year.

BOA Chair Hugh Robertson and BOA Athlete Commission Chair Ben Hawes said:

“Ellie was an incredibly popular and well-liked member of the team.

“Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this sad time”

By way of a memorial her familyhave set up a foundation in her name which they hope will help young winter sports athletes needing financial support.

Soutter initially started the fundraiser to fund her own career.

Her family have taken it on, increasing the target to 100,000 euros with a goal to help other athletes.

The Go Fund Me campaign has already raised more than 6,500 euros (£5,750.

"Since the tragic death of my beautiful daughter, we have decided to set up in her memory the Ellie Soutter Foundation," her father Tony wrote on Facebook.

"This is a fundraiser for young winter athletes like Ellie, to help enable them to achieve their potential and dreams."

"We, her family, have decided to continue fundraising under Ellie's name for young winter athletes that need financial assistance to achieve their potential and dreams, in much the same way as Ellie had looked for your help," added her father.

"As a junior athlete coming from a family without substantial wealth, Ellie often had to miss out on competing and training through lack of funds...She felt and understood the constant pressure to obtain the necessary funds for her training and events...A full season of required training to maintain this level of competition was in excess of £30,000 annually.

"At this time, as a junior GB athlete, there is minimal or no funding for travel or accommodation and athletes have to pay a subscription for coaching."

"I would like to thank everyone for the overwhelming messages of condolence and prayers," he added.

The thoughts and condolences of the British Ski & Snowboard community are with Ellie’s family, friends and teammates.