Longest WC downhill in the works?

[Teppaz]

Some folks in Zermatt are proposing a new downhill race on a glacier. It would be 5 kms, start in Switzerland and end in Italy. Don't know how realistic it is but on paper it looks pretty cool. They hope to hold it in November on a glacier.

 

[S.H.]

Interesting, especially considering the apparent difficulties between Swiss Ski and the Wengen organizers ...

Since Swiss Ski requested that Wengen be removed from the 2021-22 WC Calendar, I'm intrigued ... but I would hate to lose Wengen.

 

[Primoz]

I don't think there will be no Wengen, and I'm pretty sure everyone know this. But as their long going issue about money goes on, and as ski races are organized (officially) by ski federations, or I would say properly this would be said that rights for ski race is owned by national ski federation, Swiss ski can do this to put some pressure to Wengen OC. Because if Swiss ski really doesn't send application, there's no way Wengen will be on list. But everyone know this will never happen, as even with bad share of money it's still so much money and so much publicity (also) for Swiss ski, that they would never go this way. But it's scaring tactics.

 

[S.H.]

I don't think there will be no Wengen, and I'm pretty sure everyone know this. But as their long going issue about money goes on, and as ski races are organized (officially) by ski federations, or I would say properly this would be said that rights for ski race is owned by national ski federation, Swiss ski can do this to put some pressure to Wengen OC. Because if Swiss ski really doesn't send application, there's no way Wengen will be on list. But everyone know this will never happen, as even with bad share of money it's still so much money and so much publicity (also) for Swiss ski, that they would never go this way. But it's scaring tactics.

Agreed, that would be insane. but requesting to remove wengen from the calendar seems a pretty aggressive move from Swiss Ski

 

[Dakine]

For amatuers and ex pros, there is the Parsenn Derby.
The Derby
I skied the course and it is loooong.

 

[chilehed]

For amatuers and ex pros, there is the Parsenn Derby.
The Derby
I skied the course and it is loooong.

Didn't know about that one. Inferno Murren has been on my bucket list for a while now - has anyone here ever been?

 

[crgildart]

Sounds cool but doesn't it also translate to more time between runs? So changing weather or other course deterioration conditions can be more of a factor than who's the better skier that day..

 

[Swiss Toni]

Some folks in Zermatt are proposing a new downhill race on a glacier. It would be 5 kms, start in Switzerland and end in Italy. Don't know how realistic it is but on paper it looks pretty cool. They hope to hold it in November on a glacier.

The idea originally came from Federico Maquignaz, CEO of the Cervinia lift company. He suggested holding a cross border downhill race at the annual meeting of representatives of the Zermatt and Cervinia lift companies on November 30th 2019. The proposed course runs from the Klein Matterhorn to Testa Grigia then down the Ventina piste to the finish at Cime Bianche Laghi, you can see most of the route via the Panomax webcam at Plateau Rosa https://cervinia.panomax.com/plateau-rosa#

There has been no mention of how it is to be financed, it’s difficult to see how Italians could justify the expenditure given the perilous state of their economy. Most of the ski lift companies in the Aosta region are owned by a state-controlled investment agency, they make little if any money.

It has just been announced that Swiss Ski has withdrawn the request to remove the Lauberhorn races from the provisional World Cup calendar for 2021/22. On Saturday a Swiss businessman promised the Swiss Ski a donation of 300,000 Swiss francs for the future of the Lauberhorn races. The amount roughly corresponds to the annual deficit. A meeting with the Swiss minister of sport is scheduled for Thursday.