Karine Ruby dies in a climbing accident on Mont Blanc France

Karine Ruby died in a climbing accident

Karine Ruby was a former Olympic snowboarding champion. Karine Ruby (31) died on Friday 29 May 2009 in a climbing accident on France’s famed Mont Blanc.

Karine Ruby (January 4 1978 – 29 May 2009) was a French snowboarder and Olympic champion. She won a gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. She received a silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. She was a six-time world champion with 65 snowboard World Cup victories. She retired after the 2006 Turin Olympics, where she was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the snowboardcross event.

Ruby was killed on 29 May 2009 after a climbing accident on Mont Blanc when the top climber, Gilles Monchard, of five roped climbers fell into a crevasse, pulling Ruby and French climber Simone Ouest to their deaths.