A 23-year-old champion figure skater has been killed in a horrific road accident.

Julia Marie Gaiser was hit by a truck while cycling on a path in Austria.

Local media reports that she was killed as she cycled over a busy junction.

Attempts to save her life at the scene were unsuccessful, the report states.

Julia Marie Gaiser was a multiple champion figure skater
Authorities have opened an investigation into the incident, which occurred last Thursday.

Gaiser, originally from Brixen (Bressanone in Italian) in South Tyrol, northern Italy, was turning right at an intersection when she was struck by a truck.

She is believed to have died instantly.

Julia Marie Gaiser. Credit: EisTeam Salzburg/Instagram

The report also states that the truck driver was tested for alcohol at the scene, and the breathalyzer test was negative.

Gaiser had represented both Italy and Austria in figure skating, as well as representing the Salzburg state team on four occasions.

She won three consecutive titles at state level in 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Tributes to the tragic skater have poured in
On Instagram, EisTeam Salzburg wrote: “It is with great dismay and deep sadness that we have to say goodbye to Julia Gaiser, who [died] on the 11th.

“She was suddenly taken from life on September 2025, at the age of just 23,“Julia was a three-time Salzburg national champion (2023, 2024 2025) and successfully started for Austria for the figure skating club Rot-Weiß Salzburg.”

Julia Marie Gaiser was just 23. Credit: EisTeam Salzburg/Instagram

The post went on to praise Gaiser’s ‘dedication to the sport’, adding: “With her talent, discipline and radiance, she left an unforgettable mark on the ice.”

The tribute continued: “She was not only an outstanding athlete, but also a role model for the young ones, to whom she taught figure skating with enthusiasm and patience in children’s classes,

“She was a ray of sunshine in the community whose warmth and positivity reached far beyond the band of the ice rink.”

The mayor of Brixen Andreas Jungmann also shared a heartfelt message of condolence, adding: “We are all deeply, deeply shaken. She was not only an outstanding athlete but also a role model for many,

“I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Gaiser family. This is a great loss, especially for the world of sport.”

Julia was a three-time state champion in Salzburg. Credit: EisTeam Salzburg/Instagram

Anneliese Schenk from the Italian Ice Sports Federation paid tribute to her sporting skills, writing: “She started skating later than usual for our sport – around the age of eight, when many girls begin at just four or five.

“Even so, Marie managed to achieve strong results thanks to her daily training.

“Skating was her whole world, and she lived the sport with immense passion.”

The investigation continues.