Industry News
Marco Degli Uomini, an 18-year-old rising talent in Italian skiing, has died following a horrific crash during a training run at the Zoncolan ski area in the Carnic Alps in Italy. The accident occurred on March 8 in the early morning around 7:40 a.m. before the slopes opened to the public. Degli Uomini was training to serve as the forerunner for a regional Super-G competition when tragedy struck.
Degli Uomini, a promising competitor who had participated in international races since 2022, lost control while training on slope #2 of the Zoncolan ski area and fell approximately 70 meters (230 feet). The devastating crash resulted in multiple fractures to his legs and wrists as well as severe chest and head trauma. A doctor administered first aid on site and the young athlete was airlifted to a hospital in Pieve di Cadore.
Shortly after the fall, Degli Uomini sent a heartbreaking message to his mother, Cristina Barbarino, a respected emergency medical responder and former Vice President of the Alpine Rescue (CNSAS) of Friuli Venezia Giulia. “Mom, stay calm, but I fell while skiing. I must have fractured my legs, but don’t worry,” he texted. Tragically, his condition deteriorated and Degli Uomini was transferred to the Santa Maria della Misericordia hospital in Udine where he slipped into a coma due to a rare complication and died on Sunday, March 9.
Manuel Menti, Vice president of Monte Dauda Ski Club, was also on the mountain that morning. “I saw him alert and cooperative,” he recalled. “I asked him, ‘What did you do, Marco?’ and he replied, ‘I made a mistake, I broke my legs.’ Then they took him away with the rescue helicopter. This morning, I found out he had slipped into a coma. Shortly after, the worst news arrived.”
Degli Uomini was in his final year of school and had dreams of becoming a ski instructor and coach. Known for his versatility in winter sports, he was also a former Italian Junior Champion in short track speed skating. His skiing idol was Christian Ghedina, one of Italy’s greatest Downhill racers.
His death has reopened wounds in the Italian skiing community, still grappling with the loss of Matilde Lorenzi, a young ski prospect who died during training just four months ago. Lorenzi had died following a training crash on the Schnalstal Glacier/Val Senales Glacier in South Tyrol, Italy, on October 28. The 19-year-old Italian athlete had crashed onto the icy piste face first, suffering devastating injuries in the process. Adolfo Lorenzi, her father, spoke out after hearing of Degli Uomini’s accident. “I relived hours of anguish. For me—for us—an even deeper wound reopened because nothing has changed,” he said. “These young athletes train for hours and must be able to do so safely, without fear and without unnecessary risks.” The Matilde Lorenzi Foundation, called #matildina4safety, created after his daughter’s death, has called for stronger safety measures in youth ski racing.
The Italian Ski Federation (FISI) has suspended all regional competitions until Degli Uomini’s funeral takes place. Maurizio Dunnhofer, President of the FISI Friuli Venezia Giulia, expressed his grief: “We are shocked. The world of regional and national skiing stands with his family and his ski club in this incredibly difficult time.”
Mount Zoncolan, located in the Carnic Alps of northeastern Italy, is a well-known ski destination in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. The resort features 35 kilometers (22 miles) of ski runs, including technical slopes used for high-level training and competitions. Known for its steep terrain and challenging Super-G and Downhill courses, Zoncolan has long been a training ground for elite athletes. It is also famous in cycling circles as a grueling ascent in the Giro d’Italia.
