Lauberhorn (downhill ski course)
| Lauberhorn | |
|---|---|
| Place: | Wengen |
| Mountain: | Lauberhorn |
| Member: | Club5+ |
| Opened: | 1930 |
| Level: | advanced |
| Competition: | Lauberhornrennen |
| Downhill | |
| Start: | 2,315 m (7,595 ft) (AA) |
| Finish: | 1,287 m (4,222 ft) |
| Vertical drop: | 1,028 m (3,373 ft) |
| Length: | 4,480 m (2.78 mi) |
| Max. incline: | 42 degrees (90%) |
| Avr. incline: | 14.7 degrees (26.2%) |
| Min. incline: | 6 degrees (10.5%) |
| Most wins: | Karl Molitor (6x) |
Lauberhorn is the longest and oldest active World Cup downhill ski course in the world, which is located and named after the same name mountain in Wengen, Switzerland, debuted in 1930. As Switzerland is and always was military neutral, downhill competitions were held even during World War II.
It is part of the Lauberhornrennen, the oldest active alpine ski competition in the world and the course is very famous after extraordinary scenery with Eiger, Mönch und Jungfrau mountains in Bernese Alps.
It is the longest ski course in World Cup circuit, almost 4.5 kilometres long. And with incline of 42 degrees (90%) at the iconic "Hundschopf", also course with the steepest section in the circuit.
In 1983, slalom was going to be held on this downhnill course, not on Männlichen slalom course, the only time in history of this race. However all races that weekend were cancelled due to heavy snowfall.
On 18 January 1991, at the official downhill training, one of the most horrifying fatal crashes happened when Austrian skier Gernot Reinstadler at full speed crashed at the Ziel-S, just before the finish. They cancelled all the races that weekend and consequently increased the safety measurements.
It was, no longer, one of the most traditional venues of combined events (classic, super and alpine).