In the tragic news of the winter sports community, it is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of World Cup skier Jean Daniel Pession and his girlfriend Elisa Arlian. The couple, both 28 years old, lost their lives after falling at Monte Zerbion in Italy.
The Italian Winter Sports Federation released a statement expressing their condolences and referring to the incident as a significant loss for the winter sports and speed skiing communities. Pession was a member of the federation, and his passing has left a void in the sport.
The couple fell from the mountain, which is located northwest of Italy and approximately 108 miles east of Geneva. Rescuers were able to locate them by tracing their cell phone signal after they went missing on the mountain. Both individuals were ski instructors, with Pession achieving a 15th place ranking in the final 2021 World Cup standings prior to participating in the 2022 World Championships.
Social media was flooded with messages of mourning and tribute for Pession, with many people remembering him as a talented and honorable athlete. One person even took to Instagram to express their heartfelt farewells in Italian on his last post. The world has lost an exceptional athlete, but his legacy will live on through those he inspired.