Ronnie Berlack, 20, and Bryce Astle, 19, were both members of the United States Ski Team's Development Team and were among a group of six American skiers free-skiing at the Austrian resort.

The other four athletes survived the avalanche after skiing out of the slide.

Upon hearing the tragic news, the skiing world has come together to mourn the loss of the two prospective skiers with floods of messages filling social media overnight.

The International Ski Federation (FIS) was among the first to extend its "sincere condolences to the Berlack and Astle families, the @usskiteam and all the friends of the young athletes".

Tiger Shaw, President and chief executive of the US Ski and Snowboard Association added: "Ronnie and Bryce were both outstanding ski racers who were passionate about their sport - both on the race course and skiing the mountain.

"Our hearts go out to the Berlack and Astle families, as well as to their extended sport family.

"Both of them loved what they did and conveyed that to those around them."

The avalanche was apparently started by the two skiers as they left the prepared slopes to go off piste.

The danger level on the mountain at the time was rated at three out of five following heavy snowfall in recent days, meaning there was "considerable" risk of an avalanche.

Ronnie Berlack was named to the US Ski Team's Development Team following two top-20s at the 2013 US Alpine Championships and a spring try-out camp ©Eric Schramm



Berlack grew up racing in New Hampshire and had been a student-athlete at Vermont's Burke Mountain Academy.

He was named to the US Ski Team's Development Team following two top-20s at the 2013 US Alpine Championships and a spring try-out camp.

Astle raced at Snowbird and was invited to train with the development team trip this season.

He had posted strong early season results, including two top-10 NorAm Cup races last month in Canada.

US Alpine director Patrick Riml said the team "is in shock" following the incident.

He added: "We are all very close.

"We train a lot in Park City.

"We'll see how they handle the whole thing and how they react.

"It's a shock for everybody.

"Two great boys, great athletes, good skiers.

"They were fun to have around.

"We are all in shock still.

"It's very tragic."

"These two boys were among the other eight boys who are our future.

"We believed in these guys, that's why we selected them."

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