The Lauberhorn downhill is one of the biggest classics in the Ski World Cup. blue Sport takes a look at the numerous key sections and asks SRF expert Marc Berthod to explain how to ski them.
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- The Lauberhorn downhill is not only the longest in the Ski World Cup, but is also characterized by many key sections.
- blue Sport takes a look at the various passages and reveals how they got their names.
- SRF expert Marc Berthod also explains how to ski the key sections.
The Lauberhorn downhill run is one of the most difficult runs in the World Cup and has absolute cult status. blue Sport takes a look at the key sections together with SRF expert Marc Berthod.
The start
The start of the longest downhill run in the World Cup is at 2315 meters above sea level on the Lauberhorn shoulder. The athletes set off on the 4.5-kilometre course at an average speed of 106.33 km/h and tackle over 1000 vertical meters on the way to the finish.
«The start is not that steep, it's important that you keep up the pace»
Russi jump
After 20 seconds of riding, 2180 meters above sea level
The first section of the race is dedicated to Bernhard Russi. The former ski star skied to third place in Wengen in 1976 and 1977. However, the jump is not named after him because of his merits as a skier, but because Russi, the piste builder, invented the jump. In 1988, Russi had the jump built for a TV program - the race director at the time, Fredy Fuchs, promptly integrated the passage into the course. Since then, the jump, which is around 40 to 50 meters long, has been part of the Lauberhorn downhill run.
«You have to make sure that the direction is right, the rest is not a big challenge»
Traverse shot, traverse and panoramic turn
After 30 seconds of skiing, 2120 meters above sea level
The traverse is a gliding section with gentle bends and two terrain waves. The speed really picks up for the first time - from 100 to 130 kilometers per hour within five seconds. The route then enters the sloping terrain of the traverse, where the first split time is stopped after 45 seconds. The route continues into the panoramic bend, the long right-hand bend that was built in to reduce the speed before the Hundsschopf.
«You have to ride the panoramic bend in one flow without stopping several times»
Hundschopf
After 55 seconds of skiing, 1975 meters above sea level
Probably the most famous jump in the Ski World Cup. With an incline of 41°, the Hundschopf is the steepest part of the descent. The drop is 15 meters, and the skiers only have around five meters of space between the rocks on the left and the safety net on the right. The landing with little room to fall makes the passage even more difficult.
«The line as close to the net as possible to avoid too much distance»
Minsch edge
After 1 minute of skiing, 1915 meters above sea level
Named after Josef Minsch from Graubünden, who broke his pelvis on this jump in 1965 after jumping too far and falling down to the railroad tracks. The difficulty with this jump is changing the inner ski. This is because the turn is approached with a left-hand movement and exited with a right-hand movement.
«The direction after the Minschkante is crucial»
Canadian Corner
After 1 minute 5 seconds, 1890 meters above sea level
This passage also has inglorious namesakes. The two Canadians Dave Irwin and Ken Read crashed shortly after each other in the same race in 1976. The Canadian Corner is also conspicuous on television because many fans can be seen and heard on the opposite slope.
«It's important not to fall too far down this corner»
The Alpweg and the Kernen-S
(After 1 minute 10 seconds, 1825 meters above sea level
In a descent with many important passages, this is probably the biggest key section. Through the Alpweg, which is only three meters wide, you enter the Kernen-S, named after Bruno Kernen (Lauberhorn winner in 2003), which previously bore the still common name Brüggli-S. In hardly any other passage in the World Cup is it so easy to see, even for TV viewers, how well the skiers manage the tight right-left combination. Even the "Stämmbögli" has been seen regularly by world-class athletes in this passage to slow down. In recent years, the Kernen-S has been a decisive factor in Marco Odermatt's victories. This year, however, the athletes have been given more space and the slope has been widened.
«With the widening, you bring more people into play, who can now ski it more easily»
Water station and long stretch
After 1 minute 25 seconds, 1775 meters above sea level
The speed at which you exit the Kernen-S is particularly important. Because under the tunnel, which is only nine meters wide (the Wengeralpbahn runs on the tracks above), the route heads towards Langentrejen, a long and rather unspectacular gliding section that is usually only seen in excerpts on television. If you don't have a good pace here, you will lose a lot of time.
«Pick up the pace, otherwise you can only lose here»
Hannegg shot
After 1 minute 45 seconds, 1590 meters above sea level
Now it gets steep and fast. The skiers reach speeds of up to 140 km/h on this passage, where the skis only make contact with the snow every ten meters. Unsurprisingly, the speed record in the World Cup comes from the Haneggschuss. In 2013, the speedometer went up to an incredible 161.9 km/h for Frenchman Johan Clarey.
«Here you just let it whistle»
Silberhorn jump
After 2 minutes, 10 seconds, 1450 meters above sea level
The dream for TV producers. The jump, designed in 2003, offers spectacular images of flying skiers with the Silberhorn in the background.
Austrian hole
After 2 minutes 15 seconds, 1390 meters above sea level
The Österreicherloch is above all still a myth. This is because the waves that the Austrians Toni Sailer, Anderl Molterer and Walter Schuster took turns to jump in 1954 no longer exist. They have since been removed.
«It's a little icier here than it used to be»
Finish-S
After 2 minutes, 20 seconds, 1385 meters above sea level
Many stories were written in the last, tricky section of this race. The legs are already tired after well over two minutes of riding time, then these three tight and icy bends come at the riders. No wonder, as there have always been some nasty crashes.
In 1991, Austrian Gernot Reinstadler suffered a fatal accident when he flew into the safety net, split his pelvis and succumbed to his serious injuries.
Last year, however, there was also a spectacular accident with serious consequences. Speed dominator Alexander Aamodt Kilde crashed into the nets and injured himself so badly that a return to the World Cup is still uncertain a year later.
«Wait a long time, get out to the net, flip once and then you're down»
