Winterthur relies on Uli Forte

Winterthur has hired Uli Forte as the new head coach of the first team. The coach has signed a one-and-a-half-year contract and, with his experience in more than 450 Super League and Challenge League matches, he will be tasked with ensuring the team’s stay in the top league.

Uli Forte, a Swiss with Italian citizenship, has been one of the most successful and competent coaches in Swiss professional soccer for many years. With Young Boys, Zurich, Grasshoppers, St. Gallen, Yverdon and Wil, the 50-year-old has racked up 209 Super League and 250 Challenge League appearances. His palmarès è respectable: in 2009 and 2017 he led St. Gallen and Zurich back to the Super League, respectively, while in 2013 and 2016 he won the Swiss Cup with Grasshoppers and Zurich.

In 2023, Neuchâtel Xamax had signed him just before the end of the season to rescue the struggling club in the Challenge League. Forte achieved the goal in extremis, winning the playoff against Rapperswil-Jona, a Promotion League team. He has now terminated his current contract with Xamax to say sì to Winterthur.

Whiteblù huddles with Dario Wüthrich

Sophie Hediger, an athlete of the Swiss national snowboard cross team, who died after being swept away by an avalanche in the mountains of Arosa, Graubünden, Switzerland, was romantically linked to Dario Wüthrich, a field hockey player of the Ambr’-Piotta.

The club to which the’athlete belongs è to him at this terrible time. “The Hockey Club Ambr’-Piotta joins the grief of defenseman Dario Wüthrich for the sudden and tragic death of his beloved partner Sophie. To Sophie’s family and Dario, sincere condolences and a big hug from the whole biancoblù” family, reads the note issued by the Ticino club.

Sophie, who had turned 26 last Dec. 14, had represented Switzerland at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, achieved two World Cup podiums (a second and a third place) and won two bronze medals at the Junior World Championships, a team medal in 2016 and an individual medal in 2018.

“At this sad time Dario and the family ask for respect for their privacy” added l’Ambrì-Piotta.

Goodbye to Sophie Hediger

A terrible bereavement has struck the snowboarding world. Sophie Hediger, an athlete of the Swiss national snowboard cross team, lost her life in Arosa, Canton Graubünden, Switzerland, after being swept away by an avalanche. The tragic news è was confirmed by the Swiss Ski Federation.

Walter Reusser, director of Swiss-Ski, expressed his grief: “We are deeply shocked. Our thoughts are with Sophie’s family, to whom we offer our deepest condolences. A dark shadow è has fallen over our community; we are immensely saddened. We will honor Sophie”’s memory.

Sophie, who had represented Switzerland at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, had achieved two World Cup podiums (a second and a third place) and won two bronze medals at the Junior World Championships, one team in 2016 and one individual in 2018.

The unfortunate athlete had turned 26 last December 14.