Canadian ski cross racer dies after mountain bike accident

SQUAMISH, British Columbia (AP) — Canadian ski cross racer Mikayla Martin died Tuesday after a mountain bike accident in her hometown of Squamish.

The 22-year-old Martin, the winner of a world junior championship last year in Cardrona, New Zealand, was biking with a male friend on the Slhaney Trail system behind Stawamus Chief Provincial Park when she was injured, the Squamish RCMP, Squamish Search and Rescue and the B.C. Coroners Service said Wednesday in a joint statement. Martin was airlifted to a hospital.

“Mikayla embodied a love of skiing and passion for ski cross that were boundless and words can’t express how sorely she’ll be missed,” Alpine Canada President Vania Grandi said Wednesday in a statement. “We wish to express our most sincere condolences to Christine and James, Mikayla’s parents, as well as her entire family and circle of friends.”

Squamish RCMP and the coroner are continuing to investigate the incident.

“The death of Mikayla is a huge loss for the community of Squamish and an immense loss for her family and friends and our thoughts are with them,” Sgt. Sascha Banks said in the statement. “It can’t be stressed more that adventuring in Squamish comes with inherent risks.”

Martin was a promising alpine ski racer out of the Whistler Mountain Ski Club who switched to ski cross in 2017. She raced on the World Cup circuit last winter, finishing a career-best sixth in Innichen, Switzerland.