Latest news with #AudunGroenvold
Toronto Sun
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
Audun Groenvold, Olympic ski cross medallist, dies after lightning strike
OSLO, Norway (AP) — Olympic ski cross medalist Audun Groenvold has died after being struck by lightning, the Norwegian ski federation announced Wednesday. He was 49. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Article content 'It is with great sadness that we have received the news of Audun Groenvold's untimely passing,' the federation said. 'The former national Alpine skier and ski cross athlete was recently struck by lightning during a cabin trip.' The federation said Groenvold was 'quickly taken to hospital and received treatment for the injuries he sustained in the lightning strike' and then died Tuesday night. Groenvold was a member of Norway's Alpine skiing team before he moved into freestyle and ski cross. He had one podium finish as a World Cup Alpine skier, finishing third in a downhill in Sierra Nevada, Spain, in 1999. He also won a bronze medal in ski cross at the 2005 world championships, and the overall ski cross cup in 2007. After his career ended, he became a national team coach and a TV commentator. 'Norwegian skiing has lost a prominent figure, who has meant so much to both the Alpine and freestyle communities,' federation president Tove Moe Dyrhaug said, adding that his passing creates 'a huge void.'
Irish Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Olympic medallist killed by lightning after being struck during cabin trip
Audun Groenvold, the freestyle skier and Olympic bronze medallist, has tragically died aged 49 after a being struck by lightning. The Norwegian Ski Federation released a statement on Wednesday confirming the heartbreaking news that Groenvold was struck by lightning during a cabin trip and passed away following his admission to hospital. They said: "It is with great sadness that we have received the news of Audun Groenvold's untimely passing. "The former national Alpine skier and ski cross athlete was recently struck by lightning during a cabin trip." Tove Moe Dyrhaug, the federation's president, paid tribute by saying: "Norwegian skiing has lost a prominent figure, who has meant so much to both the alpine and freestyle communities." "Audun had a great career in both alpine skiing and ski cross, before becoming the national ski cross coach. The Norwegian Ski Association also remembers his efforts on the ski board. There will be a big void after Audun." Audun Groenvold celebrates on the podium at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010 (Image: MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images) Before making a name for himself in freestyle and ski cross, Groenvold was part of Norway's Alpine skiing team, reports the Mirror. His achievements include a third-place finish in a World Cup Alpine downhill event in Sierra Nevada, Spain, in 1999, as well as clinching bronze medals in ski cross at the 2005 world championships and the ski cross cup two years later. Following his retirement from competitive skiing, Groenvold continued to contribute to the sport as a national team coach and commentator. Groenvold's ex-coach, Marius Arnesen, shared with local paper Verdens Gang: "It's just terribly sad and tragic. "[He was] a thoughtful and wonderful boy who, when it comes to skiing, had a fantastic feeling for the surface in the snow." Groenvold leaves behind his wife, Kristin Tandberg Haugsjå, and their three children.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Olympic Medalist Audun Groenvold Killed By Lightning Strike During Cabin Trip
Olympic medalist Audun Groenvold killed by lightning strike. Fatal bolt hit the 49-year-old Norwegian during a cabin trip on July 12. The freestyle skier passed away from his injuries on July 15 night. The Norwegian Ski Federation announced the tragic news on July 16. Audun had a great career in both Alpine skiing and Ski Cross. The decorated athlete won bronze at the 2010 Vancouver Games. Groenvold logged a win in the Ski Cross Cup in 2007 as well. He also won a bronze in Ski Cross event in 2025 world championships. He was the coach of Norwegian National Ski Cross team from 2010-2012. WATCH- Read More
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Tragic death! Lightning kills Olympic bronze medallist
FILE - Audun Groenvold of Norway celebrates after taking third place in the men's skicross competition at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Feb. 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File) Norwegian Olympic ski cross medalist Audun Groenvold has died at the age of 49 after being struck by lightning, the Norwegian Ski Federation announced on Wednesday. Groenvold, who won a bronze medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, was reportedly struck during a cabin trip. 'It is with great sadness that we have received the news of Audun Groenvold's untimely passing,' the federation said in a statement. 'The former national Alpine skier and ski cross athlete was recently struck by lightning during a cabin trip.' Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! He was rushed to hospital and received medical treatment for injuries caused by the strike but succumbed on Tuesday night. Groenvold started his career as a member of Norway's Alpine skiing team, earning a World Cup podium with a third-place finish in the downhill event at Sierra Nevada, Spain, in 1999. He later transitioned to freestyle skiing, winning a bronze in ski cross at the 2005 World Championships and capturing the overall ski cross World Cup title in 2007. After retiring from competition, he remained involved in the sport as a national team coach and television commentator. 'Norwegian skiing has lost a prominent figure, who has meant so much to both the Alpine and freestyle communities,' said federation president Tove Moe Dyrhaug. 'His passing leaves a huge void.' Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Lightning seems to be striking, and even killing, lots of people this summer. What are the odds you'll get struck in your lifetime — and how can you minimize the risk?
They say lightning never strikes twice. But in recent days it seems to be striking again and again — to deadly effect. On Wednesday, the Norwegian Ski Federation announced that Olympic skier Audun Groenvold, a bronze medalist at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, died the previous evening after lightning struck him during 'a cabin trip.' Groenvold was 49 years old. Exactly one week earlier, a lightning bolt hit another athlete, Simon John Mariani, 28, while he was playing the 15th hole of New Jersey's Ballyowen Golf Course. Mariani 'unexpectedly' died of his injuries on Monday, according to an obituary his family posted online. Around the same time, two Georgia teens, Joey Nelson, 18, and Randall Martin III, 19, were struck and killed while fishing at a local pond. And five people were injured by lightning near Florida's St. Augustine Pier on Saturday afternoon. 'I felt the jolt through my body,' one of the victims, Stephanie Bayliss, told News 4 in Jacksonville. 'It was a horrible pain. Everything went blank. Everything was super loud. My ears hurt, and they were muffled. As soon as the second was over, I had a splitting headache. My wife turned around to me and said, 'I just got hit in the back of the head.' I said, 'I did too.'' Here's everything you need to know to stay safe from lightning this summer. Why are there so many lightning strikes (and deaths) right now? The first cause is seasonal. Lightning can occur at any time of year, but since it's typically associated with thunderstorms — and thunderstorms tend to occur when the air is warm, humid and unstable — the phenomenon is most prevalent during the spring and summer months, especially across the mid-Atlantic and Sunbelt regions of the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Florida is considered the 'lightning capital' of the country. Of course, people have to be around lightning to get hurt by it, and the risk is highest when they're outside (where about two-thirds of lightning injuries take place). The combination of these two factors — weather patterns and outdoor activity — makes July by far the deadliest month for lightning strikes, according to the CDC, with 147 recorded during that month from 2006 through 2021. June (99 deaths) and August (77 deaths) are a distant second and third, respectively. The other dynamic at play could be climate change. In 2014, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley found that every time the planet warms by 1°C, the number of annual lightning strikes is expected to increase by 12%. So 'for every two lightning strikes you had at the beginning of the century, we will have three at the end of the century,' one of the researchers explained at the time. Lightning fatalities in developing countries have been rising in recent years, likely as a result. What are the odds of getting struck by lightning in your lifetime? Low, but not zero. In 2019, the National Weather Service added the average number of annual U.S. lightning deaths over the previous decade (27) to the average number of annual lightning injuries (243) and calculated that each individual American has a 1 in 1.2 million chance of getting struck by lightning in any particular year — and a 1 in 15,300 chance of getting hit at some point during their life. Among the factors that can indicate an increased risk, according to the CDC: gender (males are four times more likely than females to be struck by lightning); age (the average age of a person struck by lightning is 37); time of day (two out of three lightning deaths occur between noon and 6 p.m.); recreation (from 2006 through 2021, leisure activities such as fishing, boating, playing sports and relaxing at the beach accounted for almost two-thirds of lightning deaths); and occupation (work-related activities contribute to about 18% of total lightning fatalities, with farmers and ranchers at highest risk). Almost 90% of all lightning strike victims survive, though, so even if a bolt does hit you, chances are you won't die. What happens to your body if you get struck by lightning? Getting struck by lightning delivers a massive electrical pulse to the body. That can short-circuit the heart and stop it from beating. When people die from lightning, they're actually dying from cardiac arrest. Lightning strike survivors typically experience a variety of short- and even long-term symptoms. Burns can affect skin and sometimes internal tissues — though brief heat exposure (lightning only lasts a fraction of a millisecond) can limit the damage. Eardrums may be ruptured. Cataracts often develop, sometimes as much as a year later. The nervous system can be affected as well, with victims reporting headache, nausea, stomach upset and other post-concussion types of symptoms; mild confusion, memory slowness or mental clouding; even dizziness and loss of balance. Longer term, survivors can have trouble with mental processing; some may experience personality change or depression. How to avoid getting hit by lightning About 40 million lightning strikes reach the ground each year in the U.S. To avoid getting hit, shelter in a substantial building or hard-topped vehicle with the windows rolled up at the first sign of a thunderstorm, and remain there until the storm has passed. Rain shelters, small sheds, balconies and porches are not safe. Don't use rain as your guide; lightning can strike 10 miles ahead of a storm and linger after a downpour has ended. Remain inside for 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder. If you can't get inside, do whatever you can to avoid tall structures (rooftops, scaffolding, utility poles, ladders, trees, large equipment) and conductive materials (metal, utility lines, water, water pipes, plumbing). And even if you can get inside, make sure to avoid metal, wiring and plumbing as well. When lightning strikes a home or building, it often follows the wiring or plumbing to ground. Don't touch anything that's plugged into an outlet or connected to outside doors or windows. Finally, if someone you know is unfortunate enough to get struck by lightning, call 911 immediately, monitor the victim in the meantime and use CPR if necessary. Lightning survivors do not carry an electrical charge, so they are safe to touch.
