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The Lauberhorn turns 80
Friday January 15, 2010 - Email this article to a friend
It's perhaps the most famous and challenging race in the ski world. It is certainly the longest. This weekend it celebrates its 80th birthday. It's more than a race - it's a massive party too.
It was first staged in 1930 above the Swiss resort of Wengen, with the mighty Eiger as its spectacular backdrop.
The race was won by Christian Rubi of Switzerland, and since then the likes of Bode Miller, Herman Maier, Marc Giradelli, Franz Klammer, Jean-Claude Killy, Karl Schranz and Toni Sailer have topped the leader board. It is the one they all want to win.
It's only real rival is the Hahnenkamm in Kitzbühel, Austria.
The course is 4.45km (2.77 miles) long and the fastest man down is Kristian Ghedina of Italy who averaged 106.33km/h (66mph). Over 30,000 spectators normally line the course, behind 16km of security netting.
See the photos below of the race a few years ago when PlanetSKI was in the crowd.
One of our reporters, Julian Griffiths, was also there last winter and sent us this report.
As well as being 80 it is also 50, as 5 decades ago marked the first live television broadcast of the race. Quite an event.
The Downhill takes place on Saturday and we'll bring you news of the result here on PlanetSKI over the weekend.
In the meantime here are the best moments of the Lauberhorn race in 2009, showing Didier Défago (SUI) and Bode Miller (USA).
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