Amateur Inter-Club Championships 2013 - Zermatt, Switzerland
Zermatt provided the magnificent back drop for the 6th Amateur Inter Club Championships which took place on the 8th and 9th of March. Inaugurated by members of Murren’s Kandahar Ski Club, the event attracts clubs from Italy, Switzerland and Austria as well as the British alpine clubs. This year over 120 racers lined up in three age categories to test their skills and nerve on the Gifthitli piste (2920m) which runs from from the top of the Gornergrat. Hosted by the SAS (Swiss Academic Ski club) who have strong links to Zermatt, the format was to be a giant slalom on the Friday followed by a Super G on the Saturday. As it turned out the Super G was held on the same piste and was more like an open GS, but with the addition of a jump and a few less gates there was sufficient speed to test the skills of the assembled racers. The snow was in perfect condition for racing, but the light was not ideal on either day with low cloud and snow flurries affording only tantalising glimpses of the brooding Matterhorn.
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Thanks to the instigation of Henry Anstey, the AVSC sent a team for the second year running in the 45 to 60 category; John Ferguson, Pablo Ettinger, Jorge Bocca and Richard Gower. In addition Stewart Edgington skied as an independent entry but flew the flag for AVSC in the competitive 18 to 44 category.
The team skied to their potential and with little or no training between them, other than assembling an impressive amount of kit, were pleased to complete both runs without falls, missed gates or major incident. Pablo, Richard and John skied for respectable times without really attacking the courses, mindful of their lack of practice and the need to finish. Jorge, recovering from knee surgery in January, skied conservatively so as to guarantee |
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a team place in the event of a non finish by any other team member. The combined times of the 3 fastest team members over the two days were used to calculate the team placings in each category and the AVSC quartet finished in bronze position behind the SC18 (Cortina d’Ampezzo) and SAI (Val Gardena).
Two set piece dinners were held; a typical Swiss raclette up the mountain at Sunegga, and a prize giving evening in the impressive surroundings of the Hotel Mont Cervin. Medals and trophies were dispensed together with generous quantities of bonhomie and the local Dole before the teams dispersed to celebrate all around the famous bars and clubs of Zermatt.
Next year’s event will be hosted by the Mardens Ski Club in Klosters. It is hoped that the AVSC will host the event in 2017.
Two set piece dinners were held; a typical Swiss raclette up the mountain at Sunegga, and a prize giving evening in the impressive surroundings of the Hotel Mont Cervin. Medals and trophies were dispensed together with generous quantities of bonhomie and the local Dole before the teams dispersed to celebrate all around the famous bars and clubs of Zermatt.
Next year’s event will be hosted by the Mardens Ski Club in Klosters. It is hoped that the AVSC will host the event in 2017.
