Since the tragic passing of Ellie on her 18th birthday, 25th July 2018, in her memory, we, her family, have decided to continue fundraising under Ellie's name for young winter athletes that need financial assistance to achieve their potential and dreams, in much the same way as Ellie had looked for your help.Ellie Soutter was one of the most progressive Junior Female Snowboard Athletes of Great Britain.Ellie became Vice champion of the world in the Junior Freeride World Tour in 2017. She was winner of a Bronze medal for Team GB at the 2017 European Youth Olympics and was tipped to be one of GBs strongest contenders for the 2022 winter Olympics amongst other numerous podium finishes throughout Europe and the southern hemisphere.As a junior athlete coming from a family without substantial wealth, Ellie often had to miss out on competing and training through lack of funds. She felt and understood the constant pressure to obtain the necessary funds for her training and events. A full season of required training to maintain this level of competition was in excess of £30,000 annually. At this time, as a Junior GB athlete, there is minimal or no funding for travel or accommodation and athletes have to pay a subscription for coaching.We have decided to form The Ellie Soutter Foundation in her memory to help and assist other young winter athletes in similar circumstances.If you would like to check out more info about Ellie's past achievements (results, photos, etc) see the links below:Website: http://www.elliesoutter.com FB page: https://www.facebook.com/EllieSoutterSnowboarder/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elsoutter/ Thank you for your time and we hope you will support us in helping other young winter athletes. ||||| Tributes have been paid to one of the “country’s best up-and-coming snowboarders”, Ellie Soutter, after she died on her 18th birthday. 
 
 In a joint statement announcing her death the British Olympic Association chairman, Hugh Robertson, and the athlete commission chairman, Ben Hawes, described Soutter as “an incredibly popular and well-liked member of the team”. 
 
 Soutter won Team GB’s only medal at the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Turkey last year, claiming a bronze in the snowboard cross. No further details have been released about her death. 
 
 “Ellie was one of the country’s best up-and-coming snowboarders, competing in both snowboard cross and freeride,” British Ski and Snowboard said in a statement. 
 
 The statement added that Soutter was due to return to competition next month after being selected for the British team heading for the Junior World Championships in New Zealand. BSS said Soutter was one of the inaugural members of the British Europa Cup snowboard cross programme. 
 
 Writing on Facebook her father, Tony Soutter, said he was “so proud of the beautiful young woman she had turned into”. He added: “This cruel world took my Soul mate and ‘Bessie’ from me yesterday on her 18th birthday. Ellie I will miss you more than you could have ever imagined. Rest in peace you little Champion!” 
 
 Soutter’s official website described going to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing as her “ultimate ambition”, while listing her as an ambassador for the Les Gets Ski Station in the French Alps. ||||| Ellie Soutter celebrates her bronze medal at the 2017 Youth Olympic Winter Festival 
 
 Ellie Soutter, one of Britain's most talented young snowboarders, died on her 18th birthday on Wednesday. 
 
 Soutter won a bronze medal for Great Britain at the 2017 Youth Olympic Winter Festival and carried the British flag at the closing ceremony. 
 
 This month she was named in the senior GB squad for the snowboard cross Europa Cup circuit, and was tipped for a place at the 2022 Winter Olympics. 
 
 She had been training abroad in Europe, and died near her home in France. 
 
 No further details have been released about her death. 
 
 Writing on Facebook on Thursday, her father, Tony Soutter, said he was "so proud of the beautiful young woman she had turned into". 
 
 He added: "This cruel world took my soul mate and 'Bessie' from me yesterday on her 18th birthday. Ellie I will miss you more than you could have ever imagined. Rest in peace you little champion." 
 
 Soutter during the Youth Olympic Winter Festival in 2017 
 
 British Olympic Association chair Hugh Robertson and BOA Athlete Commission chair Ben Hawes said in a joint statement: "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 statement said Soutter was due to return to competition next month after being selected for the GB team for the Junior World Championships in New Zealand. 
 
 "Ellie was one of the country's best up-and-coming snowboarders, competing in both snowboard cross and freeride," British Ski and Snowboard said in a statement. 
 
 Team GB said Soutter grew up in Oxted, Surrey, before moving to the Alps, where she trained. 
 
 Tributes - 'You were an amazing girl' 
 
 Eight-time British ski-cross champion Emily Sarsfield is among those to have paid tribute. 
 
 "So sad to hear the news of the passing of Ellie Souter. You really were an amazing girl," she posted on social media. 
 
 "Such a fun team-mate, made me smile every day, cracking all the jokes and enjoying life to its fullest. I'm going to miss you and your amazing energy. All my thoughts to your family." 
 
 British double Olympic skeleton champion Lizzy Yarnold on Twitter 
 
 Britain's 2010 Olympic skeleton champion Amy Williams said: "Such sad tragic news to wake up to. Thoughts and prayers go to Ellie Soutter's family." 
 
 Slopestyle snowboarder Aimee Fuller said it was "devastating news" and added: "We've lost a fellow snowboarder and a great inspirational talent within our small community." 
 
 Soutter's bronze was Team GB's only medal at the Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Turkey last year. 
 
 Team GB celebrated her medal with the Twitter message: "Tears of joy and snow stuffed down her back." 
 
 Speaking after her event, she said: "I cried as I crossed the line. I was just so emotional as it hasn't been the best season for me and it's finally on the way up. 
 
 "I even asked my coach to put snow down my back when I was in the start gate. It helps wake me up so I don't feel all floppy like a jellyfish. 
 
 "I just hope this isn't the last medal I win for Team GB. My goal is to compete at Beijing 2022." 
 
 Her father had set up an online crowdfunding campaign to help her achieve this aim, which had raised close to a quarter of its 20,000 euros (£17,800) target. ||||| Team GB snowboarder Ellie Soutter has died at the age of 18, the British Olympic Association has announced. 
 
 Soutter, “one of the country’s best up-and-coming snowboarders”, died on her 18th birthday on Wednesday. 
 
 Last year she claimed Team GB’s only medal at the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Erzurum, Turkey. 
 
 A Freeride and Boardercross specialist, she had just been selected for the British team for the Junior World Championships in New Zealand. 
 
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8 February 2018) Getty 6/19 Liam Miller, 36 Former Manchester United and Celtic midfielder died aged 36 following a short battle with pancreatic cancer (13 February 1981 - 9 February 2018) Getty 7/19 Scott Westgarth, 31 Died after beating Dec Spelman on points in Doncaster (25 February 2018) Getty 8/19 David Astori, 31 Italy international and Fiorentina captain passed away in his sleep as he prepared to face Udinese (7 January 1987 – 4 March 2018) Getty 9/19 Sir Roger Bannister, 88 The first man to run a mile in sub-four minutes and a Commonwealth Games gold medallist (23 March 1929 – 4 March 2018) Getty 10/19 Ray Wilkins, 61 Former England captain, who also played for Manchester United, Chelsea and others died of cardiac arrest (14 September 1956 - 4 April 2018) Getty 11/19 Johnny Valiant, 71 Former WWE star (real name Thomas Sullivan) was killed after being hit by a truck (25 November 1946 - 4 April 2018) WWE 12/19 Eric Bristow, 60 Former BDO and PDC world champion passed away after collapsing at a darts event in Liverpool (25 April 1957 - 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 She had been training abroad in recent weeks but was back home in the UK when she died. 
 
 “Ellie was an incredibly popular and well liked member of the team,” British Olympic Association chair Hugh Robertson and BOA Athlete Commission chair Ben Hawes said in a joint statement. 
 
 “Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this sad time.” 
 
 British Ski and Snowboard meanwhile said in a statement: “Ellie was one of the country's best up-and-coming snowboarders, competing in both snowboard cross and freeride”. 
 
 The statement added that Soutter had been due to return to competition next month. 
 
 Her father, Tony Soutter, said he was “so proud of the beautiful young woman she had turned into”. 
 
 This cruel world took my soulmate and "Bessie" from me yesterday on her 18th birthday,” he posted on Facebook. 
 
 “I was so proud of the beautiful young woman she had turned into. Ellie I will miss you more than you could have ever imagined. Rest in peace you little Champion!” 
 
 Soutter, who grew up in Surrey before moving to the Alps, was due to return to snowboard cross competition next month. 
 
 She was an inaugural member of the British Europa Cup snowboard cross programme, and had been tipped to win a place in the Team GB squad for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. 
 
 Her official website described going to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing as her “ultimate ambition”, while listing her as an ambassador for the Les Gets Ski Station in the French Alps. 
 
 No further details have been given about her death at this time. 
 
 For confidential support call Samaritans on 116 123. 
 
 Follow the Independent Sport on Instagram here, for all of the best images, videos and stories from around the sporting world.
– A snowboarder on track to represent Great Britain at the 2022 Olympics died unexpectedly on her 18th birthday. Ellie Soutter, whom British Ski and Snowboard named as "one of the country's best up-and-coming snowboarders," was found dead Wednesday, though it's unclear how she died or where: The BBC reports she was found near her home in the French Alps, where she trains, while the Independent reports she died in the UK. "This cruel world took my Soul mate and 'Bessie' from me," her father writes on Facebook, per the Guardian, adding he was "so proud of the beautiful young woman she had turned into." A snowboard cross and freeride specialist, Soutter was to represent her country at next month's Junior World Championships in New Zealand. She previously served as flag bearer at the closing ceremony of the 2017 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Turkey, where she took home Britain's only medal, a bronze. "I cried as I crossed the line. I was just so emotional," she said at the time, per the BBC. "I just hope this isn't the last medal I win for Team GB. My goal is to compete at Beijing 2022." Per the BBC, a GoFundMe page set up by her father had raised about a quarter of the funds needed to get her there.