CALGARY – A snowboarder who died after crashing into a tree at Sunshine Village Ski Resort on Monday was not wearing a helmet, Banff RCMP said Wednesday.
Martin Desrosiers was killed late in the day after hitting a tree on Banff Ave Trail. Nobody witnessed the crash, but RCMP said he was a very well-trained rider.
READ MORE: Banff local Martin Desrosiers dies in Sunshine Village snowboarding crash
“We always recommend helmets when people are skiing; it can be a risky sport,” said Banff RCMP Sgt. Stan Andronyk. “In this case, he was a very experienced snowboarder; he knew the terrain.”
Andronyk said Desrosiers was travelling fairly quickly, but RCMP are still trying to determine if a helmet would have “prevented further injuries.”
“It’s hard to say if that would have made a difference.”
Andronyk said even experienced snowboarders are vulnerable to accidents such as Desrosiers’ tragic death, and encouraged boarders to be aware of changing conditions and any objects on hills.
“Just the last few days I’ve heard a lot of people who knew him quite closely, and he was really well-liked in the community,” said Andronyk.
“It is a tragic loss for his family and the town of Banff.”
Close friend Marc LeBlanc said he met Desrosiers at the ski hill and his smile would be missed by everyone who knew him.
“He was a charming young man, incredibly passionate, very skilled snowboarder with years of experience riding difficult terrain,” said LeBlanc. “He had an incredibly vibrant personality and a positive energy about him that was able to shine within the community.”
The medical examiner is investigating the death in an attempt to determine if a helmet could have helped prevent his death.
With files from Jayme Doll
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