A TALENTED YOUNG snowboarder on the Great Britain team has died at the age of 18.

Ellie Soutter won a bronze medal for her country at the 2017 Youth Olympic Winter Festival and was recently named in the senior GB squad for the snowboard cross Europa Cup circuit.

She was also tipped to secure a place at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

BBC Sport reports that she been training in Europe and died near her home in France. She passed away on her 18th birthday but no further details have been released surrounding her death.

“The British Olympic Association is saddened to hear of the sudden passing of snowboard cross athlete Ellie Soutter, 18,” a statement on the Team GB official website reads.

“Ellie claimed Team GB’s only medal at the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Erzurum, Turkey last 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.”

The British Ski and Snowboard association also published a statement following her passing.

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

“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.”

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