Hervé, (left) and Lou talking boots and skis, 2013. Click to enlarge.
We’re devastated today by the tragic news of Scott industrial designer Hervé Maneint’s death in the Chamonix Alps, due to rockfall.
As an “industry friend” Hervé’s bubbling spirit has been part of WildSnow since we got to know him at a Scott press event some years ago. He worked especially hard on innovating Scott’s boots, pushing the industry closer to important developments such as breathable boot liners, beefy yet lightweight options, and an overall clean elegance of design. But mostly, Hervé was simply one of those people who always added a positive take to the day. I loved his smile, and how he always circled the conversation back to how it felt to get a ski boot into the middle of a turn. Though I never did get his contention that covering a liner with leather instead of nylon could make it ski better — that’s still out for testing. Condolences to Hervé’s family and friends.
Official statement below, slightly edited-condensed:
Annecy, France / Givisiez, Switzerland. The SCOTT Sports family is in shock after receiving the tragic news that Hervé Maneint, Ski & Ski boot Senior Product Manager, has died in a skiing accident near Chamonix, France this past Friday afternoon. Hervé, born 1961, was hit by a falling rock when skiing with two mountain guides and one more person; he died instantly.
Hervé Maneint had worked for SCOTT since 2000. He was responsible for the entire Ski and Ski boot development and a great ambassador for the passion of skiing beyond SCOTT. Beat Zaugg, CEO of SCOTT, says, “The passing away of Hervé Maneint is a shock for the entire company. We have lost more than just an enthusiastic employee. Hervé lived his profession with an incredible dedication. To him, his job was not work; it was his passion. Hervé was larger than life. He was loud, humorous, always had strong opinions, he could be annoying, irritating, but, above all he was alive and passionate. He loved his work, his skis, his boots, the sea and the mountains, his family, his wife and his two sons. And he had such a big heart…”
The thoughts of the entire SCOTT family today are with Hervé’s family, his relatives and his friends. We will always remember Hervé’s great personality, his truly inspiring spirit and his heart-warming character.
A few of our Scott posts involving Hervé:
Early days of the transition from Garmont to Scott.
Cosmos 2 boot, lots of progress.
Press trip with Hervé and Scott.
WildSnow.com publisher emeritus and founder Lou (Louis Dawson) has a 50+ years career in climbing, backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. He was the first person in history to ski down all 54 Colorado 14,000-foot peaks, has authored numerous books about about backcountry skiing, and has skied from the summit of Denali in Alaska, North America’s highest mountain.
