La Roche, Switzerland – The municipality of La Roche in the canton of Fribourg held an official reception Thursday evening to honor Olympic champions Mathilde Gremaud and Marianne Fatton, celebrating their gold medal victories at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
An estimated 700 to 800 residents gathered in the community’s sports and culture hall to recognize the athletes’ achievements. Prior to the ceremony, attendees participated in a torchlight procession from the village church, according to reports from Swiss news outlets.
Mathilde Gremaud, 26, a native of La Roche, successfully defended her Olympic title in slopestyle, securing her second gold medal on February 9th in Livigno. Her participation in the big air competition was unfortunately cut short due to an injury sustained during training, preventing her from competing for another medal.
Marianne Fatton, 30, originally from Neuchâtel but now residing in La Roche, made history as the first-ever Olympic champion in ski mountaineering sprint, winning gold on February 19th in Bormio. She further added to her medal count with a silver in the mixed relay alongside Zurich’s Jon Kistler two days later.
The event was attended by prominent cantonal and communal authorities, including Fribourg Council of State President Philippe Demierre, Sports Minister Romain Collaud, and Didier Castella, alongside local officials such as Syndic and Deputy Bertrand Gaillard.
This is not the first time Gremaud has been honored by the community. In March 2023, La Roche held a similar reception to celebrate her gold medal win in slopestyle at the World Ski Acrobatics Championships in Bakouriani, Georgia.
Fatton’s move to La Roche has transformed the Préalpes Fribourgeoises into her primary training ground, bolstering the canton of Fribourg’s reputation within the ski mountaineering world. The municipality noted that her presence has extended the region’s sporting influence.
