by Colin Nicholson
Last month (December 2021) marked the first chance for British skiers and snowboarders visiting Switzerland to take the swish new gondola – the culmination of a £400 million project – from Grindelwald to the highest piste on the Eiger, shaving an astonishing 47 minutes off the journey time.
The new Eiger Express whisks skiers and snowboarders up the mountain
The Eiger Express gondola actually went into operation in December 2020 but, to the frustration of Brits, this was also at the time countries around the world were closing their borders to overseas visitors because of the pandemic.
At the start of this season, Switzerland was able to welcome these visitors back – and the country has reason to be grateful to the British in particular.
Not only did an Englishman – Sir Arnold Lunn – stage the world’s first recorded slalom race here in the Jungfrau ski area 100 year ago this month but this is also where the British effectively introduced the ski lift.
British skiers have been visiting the area for more than 100 years
Until the early 1900s, the Swiss had run their mountain trains only in summer. In winter, with most tourists gone, they lay idle – until the British persuaded them that they could transport skiers to the region in winter too. So the first uphill transport for skiers was born.
Read about how a disgruntled Swiss lift company employee derailed the £400million V-bahn for years in the Skier & Snowboarder Spring issue 2021.
You can see the story in the online version of the magazine by CLICKING HERE and then turn to pages 6 & 7.
For the full story on how Sir Arnold Lunn organised the world’s first slalom race based on speed 100 years ago CLICK HERE
Categories: Switzerland