A former Norwegian cross-country skier, Guro Jordheim, was among those who lost their lives in an avalanche in Hemsedal earlier this week.

The police confirmed on Thursday that the Norwegian was one of two people who died following the avalanche on Monday. Jordheim, who competed in both traditional cross-country skiing and long-distance events, was previously part of Team Aker Dæhlie before ending her career in April 2025.

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The avalanche occurred at 11:10 local time, when authorities received reports that four people were missing after a slide in a popular backcountry skiing area in Hemsedal. All four individuals were located within an hour, but two of them could not be saved: a Norwegian woman in her 20s and a Swedish man in his 30s. Both were residents of Hemsedal.

Jordheim had been working with the ski patrol in Hemsedal and had recently taken over her family farm. The second victim, identified as 34-year-old Max Andersson from Sweden, worked at Fyri Resort in Hemsedal and was involved in organizing the international trail running event Fyri Trail, part of the Golden Trail Series.

A total of seven people were in the group when the avalanche occurred. All were experienced in mountain terrain and assisted in the rescue efforts. Due to steep terrain and challenging conditions with heavy, wet snow, rescue teams used both helicopters and ground personnel to reach the avalanche site, which reportedly extended over 250 meters.

Jordheim had studied at the University of Utah for four years, where she was part of the university’s ski team. Her time in the United States marked the beginning of a new chapter in her skiing career, characterized by strong camaraderie and passion for the sport.

After returning to Norway, she joined Team Aker Dæhlie’s long-distance squad, where she competed for three seasons. She retired in April 2025 following what had been her strongest season.

Beyond skiing, Jordheim had also started her own business and was preparing to take over her family’s farm in Hemsedal.

Her passing has deeply affected the skiing community.