Parsenn Derby Celebrates 100 Years Since First Race
Parsenn Derby Celebrates 100 Years Since First Race
Published : 19-Feb-2024 07:26
The Parsenn Derby, one of the world's oldest downhill ski races, will celebrate a century since it was first staged above Davos in Switzerland, with its 2024 staging on 29th February.
The race, still one of the world's longest despite various route changes over the years, takes place on a 12.5km long route from Parsennfurka down towards Küblis over 2,000m of vertical. It was conceived by a 1920s English spa guest, Fred W. Edlin, and created by the Ski Club Davos and the Davos English Ski Club.
The race originated 10 years before the invention of the T Bar lift at Davos and for the first four decades of its existence, before the creation of the world Cup Tour, was one of the most important international ski races.
The winner of the first Derby in 1924 completed the run in 22 minutes and 27 seconds and up to 1942 racers could decide on their own route down. However, after a racer named Edy Rominger achieved a time of under 14 minutes by taking a detour of the summit, two compulsory gates were added. More gates have been added over the last 82 years and there are now 35 positioned over half of the route while the 400-500 racers each winter can hit speeds of up to 80kph.
Today the Derby is regarded more as a public race in which amateur ski racers and prominent former professional racers can taken part and there's now also a team event with each team consisting of four men or women skiers.
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