Extreme skier John Nicoletta died in a fall at the Alyeska Resort in Alaska during the Freeskiing World Championships. The competition was aired live on the Internet.  He died last week on Friday and was only 27 years old and more than 200 friends have held a tribute to the athlete in Aspen. Nicoletta is an extreme skiing hero and is featured in ski videos, both commercial and on YouTube.

The fall was described as intense as he lost it over a wall and he just fell off the outcrop and went straight down.  Though the Associated Press reports that there was a delay getting a medical helicopter to the scene, it would not have mattered, as his death was instant, the wire service reports.  The cause was blunt force to the chest.

The world championship free skiing competition was halted Friday after the shocking fall and death.  After discussions with competitors, it was decided that the competition should be resumed and that happened on Sunday.  The annual Alaskan event was held at the Alyeska Ski Resort in Girdwood.

He lost control when he tried to ski off a band of rock called the Headwall.  An EMT cited by the Associated Press says that the fall was so intense and he was certain that it was bad when he first saw it.  He notes that Nicoletta did several cartwheels as he fell and his helmet was ripped off during the intense drop.