The “Home of Legends” of ski racing – Lauberhorn Race Wengen

Verein Internationale Lauberhornrennen

For 95 years, becoming a legend has been possible for those who win a ski race in Wengen: a slalom course as steep as few others in the World Cup, the longest downhill race in the world where speeds soar like nowhere else—and where racers even go through a tunnel. Tennis has Wimbledon, Formula 1 has Monaco, and American Football has the Super Bowl. The World Cup races in Wengen are such a sports icon – the “Home of Legends” of ski racing.

The legend of the International Lauberhorn Races in Wengen is almost a century old, with the 95th edition set to take place in January 2025. The event originated when wealthy British skiers revolutionized the sport in Lauterbrunnen Valley in the 1920s: Sir Arnold Lunn organized the first-ever races in downhill and slalom in Mürren, which later gave rise to the Inferno Downhill, a race that still runs today from the Schilthorn to Lauterbrunnen, over 2000 meters below. 

On the opposite side of the valley, Wengen was eager to join in on this development: Ernst Gertsch believed that only a major competition would keep Wengen relevant. Despite doubts in the village, he succeeded in organizing the first International Lauberhorn Races in 1930. He even enlisted Sir Arnold Lunn, the inventor of the slalom discipline, to set the course. 

Historic photo Slalom
Historic photo Slalom © Source: Int. Lauberhorn Race Association

First-ever World Cup Downhill at Lauberhorn 
In the following years, the Lauberhorn Races became one of the world’s most prestigious ski events. History was further made on January 14, 1967, when Wengen hosted the first-ever downhill race of the newly established FIS Ski World Cup. The first winner, Jean-Claude Killy, became a legend not only for this victory: the French skier went on to win three Olympic golds and six World Championship titles. In Wengen in 1967, he won not only the downhill but also the slalom and the resulting combined event—a feat that remains unmatched in the nearly 60-year history of the World Cup. 

Retro photo Killy
Retro photo Killy © Source: Int. Lauberhorn Race Association

Only a Luxembourgian Has Won in All Disciplines
Also unique is Luxembourg's Marc Girardelli, the only athlete to win all four disciplines that have ever been held in Wengen: slalom, combined, Super-G, and downhill. Swiss skier Bernhard Russi is another legend, though he refers to himself as an “adopted son” since he never won the Lauberhorn downhill on its original course. Due to a lack of snow in 1973, the race was held on the other side of the mountain in Grindelwald. 

The Downhill Course Itself is Legendary
The Lauberhorn downhill is 4.5 kilometers long, making it the longest on the World Cup circuit. Nowhere else do athletes reach higher speeds than on the Haneggschuss section, where French skier Johan Clarey set a World Cup speed record in 2013 with an incredible 161.9 km/h. Unique to Lauberhorn is also a tunnel that racers pass through during the descent. There are signature sections that make ski fans’ eyes light up: first and foremost, the Hundschopf. Here, racers jump between a steep rock face and a safety net into a near free-fall before tackling the Minschkante and Canadian Corner. Just beyond is one of the World Cup’s most spectacular viewing spots—the exclusive Canadian Corner Hospitality. Not to be missed are the Kernen-S and Ziel-S turns, demanding intense focus from racers after over two minutes on the course! 

Unmatched Alpine Scenery
Many athletes rave about the unique backdrop. As they step through the doorframe of the start house, they’re greeted by the iconic trio of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau mountains. Legendary Marc Girardelli described it as follows: “Once I stood in the start house, mesmerized by the North Face of the Eiger, and almost missed my start... the starter had to pull me back to reality.” 

Title photo Lauberhorn Race 2024
Title photo Lauberhorn Race 2024 © Source: Int. Lauberhorn Race Association

95th Anniversary in January 2025
In January 2025, the Lauberhorn Races will mark 95 years since the inaugural 1930 event. Millions of viewers worldwide watch this iconic event on TV every year. Over sixty thousand fans will be on-site over the three days (January 17-19, 2025) in Wengen. Spectators can watch the action from various locations along the course against the magical mountain backdrop, from the slalom slope to the downhill course, or from VIP spots at Canadian Corner, Wengernalp, or in the finish area. The grand spectator stand and VIP Swiss Lounge hospitality area are also located at the finish. 

At the 2024 races, Switzerland celebrated a new legend after Beat Feuz: Marco Odermatt won both downhill races (a feat only previously achieved by Marc Girardelli). Will he repeat this success on the “Home of Legends” downhill in 2025? Will a Swiss racer claim the first slalom victory since Joel Gaspoz in 1987? The legend continues... 

Information
The car-free village of Wengen stands at an elevation of 1,274 metres above sea level and numbers around 1,000 inhabitants. The race programme of the international Lauberhorn Ski races, “Home of Legends”, consists 2025 of a Super-G (17.1.25), a downhill (18.1.25) and a slalom (19.1.25). The downhill course record is currently held by Kristian Ghedina (Italy), for his 2:24.23 of 1997. And the most emphatic winner to date was Franz Klammer (Austria) with his 3.54-second margin in 1973. Karl Schranz of Austria helds six victories in the downhill, the first one in 1959. Karl Molitor helds eleven victories in different disciplines in Wengen.  As the Airline of Switzerland, SWISS is proud to support the Lauberhorn Races since 2012.