A cheerful, smiling, and kind young man, Franzoso had arrived in La Parva on September 6 for the snow training camp alongside fellow speed specialists Mattia Casse, Florian Schieder, Guglielmo Bosca, Christof Innerhofer, Benjamin Alliod, Nicolò Molteni, Marco Abbruzzese, and Giovanni Franzoni. Dominik Paris also joined the group.
At the junior level, Franzoso was fourth in downhill at the 2020 Junior World Championships in Narvik. He made his European Cup debut on December 13, 2017, earning his first and only victory in the circuit in the super-G at Zinal, Switzerland, on November 29, 2021. That same season, Franzoso debuted on the World Cup tour in the Val Gardena super-G on December 17. He collected 17 World Cup starts in total (11 super-G, 6 downhill), with his best result being 28th place in the super-G at Cortina d’Ampezzo on January 28, 2023. Also in 2023, he won the Italian national title in the alpine combined. His last World Cup appearance was in Kvitfjell, Norway, in March.
“This is a tragedy for his family and for our sport,” said FISI president Flavio Roda. “It is a drama that brings us back to the feelings of less than a year ago, when we lost Matilde Lorenzi. It is absolutely necessary to do everything possible so that such incidents are not repeated. In this sad and painful moment, I want to tell all athletes and coaches, in all sports, that the federation stands by their side and that they will find all the support they need. I ask for the utmost respect for Matteo’s family, whom we will support in every possible way.”
The federation president, the federal council, all athletes, coaches, and staff mourn the untimely passing of Matteo Franzoso and stand close to his family in these days of grief.
Release courtesy of FISI.