by Matthew Lumb
As part of a series of events to celebrate the centenary of the Ladies’ Ski Club, members and guests were invited to take part in a fun costumed slalom race in Mürren, Switzerland. The race was held on 23 January 2023, the 100th anniversary, to the day, of the founding of the club.
LSC members dressed in 1920s ski outfits for the centenary race in Mürren.
The slalom race was a light-hearted way to celebrate the first 100 years of the club. The course was set up in the main meeting area of the resort and timings were kept the old-fashioned way by waving a flag each time a racer left the starting gate. Over the course of an hour or so, 26 club members made their way down the course, some taking it slow, others going for the win. Countries represented included the UK, Switzerland, Norway, USA and Canada.
Although the race was for fun, there was one unbreakable rule: To take part in the race all entrants had to be dressed in 1920s outfits to commemorate the club’s 100 years as well as the original founders and members.
The winner, Emma Hinde was presented with a bottle of Champagne and there was a special prize medal awarded for best dressed competitor.
Race winner Emma Hinde (centre) with Adrienne Kirk and Barbara Gruenig Hoppeler.
After the race, participants and visitors gathered at the Bellevue Hotel outside bar and then in the evening, a celebratory reception was held in the lobby of the Alpin Palace Hotel which was built in 1872.
During her speech, the Ladies Ski club president, Ingrid Christophersen, gave a brief history of the club along with its goals and what it stands for. Rachel Arkin, the Director of the Mürren Tourist Office also spoke, thanking the club for the support it gives to the town.
The following day a brunch was held in the Piz Gloria revolving restaurant located at the very top of the Schilthorn (schilthorn.ch), at 2970m. The building is also famous for being used as Blofeld’s lair in the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Screens are placed around the restaurant showing clips from the movie.
From the restaurant and viewing platform you get stunning 360° views stretching for miles. It’s the best place to get a view of the three local mountains: the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
To finish off the centenary celebrations in Mürren, a drinks and dinner event was held in the Hotel Eiger.
History of the Ladies’ Ski Club
Ingrid Christophersen, President of the Ladies’ Ski Club
The Ladies Ski Club claims to be the oldest women’s alpine ski club in the world, founded in Mürren on 23 January, 1923, by the leading female ski racers of the time, headed by Mabel Lunn, and assisted by her husband Albert Lunn, the alpine skiing pioneer. Today the club has around 300 members.
Vice-President Gayle Parsons explains that the goal of the club is “To encourage and support British female Snowsports competitors and build fellowship among women who just love to ski!”
The club continues to thrive and honours its considerable legacy to competitive snow sports by raising funds to support elite British female athletes each year. All the UK’s current top female racers, including our para-athletes and many of the top freestyle athletes, are members of the Ladies’ Ski Club.
If you are interested in joining the club, more details can be found here.
Emma Hinde on her way to posting a winning time through the old style slalom flags
Mürren
Mürren, high up in the Bernese Highlands of Switzerland, is integral to the history of British skiing. It’s where the first slalom race was held back in 1922. Today the village gives access to 51km of slopes, mostly blues and reds, along with some challenging black runs. A wider ski area – the Jungfrau region – provides access to the Wengen and Grindelwald resorts, offering 206km of pistes in total.
Piz Gloria Restaurant
In January each year the region hosts the International Inferno Ski Races (https://www.inferno-muerren.ch/en), a series of events that have taken place since 1928. The highlight of the programme is the Inferno Downhill, now in its 79th year, which runs from just below the Kleines Schilthorn (under the Piz Gloria restaurant) all the way down to the valley, finishing in Lauterbrunnen. This year there were 1850 skiers taking part!
For more information on Mürren: muerren.swiss
For more information on Switzerland: myswitzerland.com
The Swiss Travel System provides a range of exclusive travel passes and tickets for visitors from abroad. The Swiss Travel Pass offers unlimited travel on consecutive days across the Swiss Travel System rail, bus and boat network. This pass also covers scenic routes and local trams and buses in around 90 towns and cities, and includes the Swiss Museum Pass, which allows you free entrance to 500 museums and exhibitions. Prices start from £186 for a three-day second-class ticket.
Find out exactly what the Swiss Travel Pass covers at mystsnet.com
For more information on Switzerland, visit MySwitzerland.com
Categories: Racing, Switzerland