IVBV Ski Championships for Mountain Guides, April 28, 2023

It's Friday evening and the first mountain guides are arriving at the sports center in Grindelwald to pick up their race numbers for tomorrow's competition. Right after check-in, they proceed to the obligatory 'Parade of Nations'—in traditional mountain guide attire, of course. Starting at the Outdoor Shop & Café, the procession of mountain guides moves past the sports center to Bärplatz and finally to the curling hall—with the anniversary ice axe in tow. Led and musically accompanied by the Trychler Group Grindelwald, it's a lively parade with numerous spectators. In the curling hall, a fine aperitif awaits us. Information about the next day's program is shared, followed by a few speeches. The anniversary ice axe mingles with the mountain guides and is admired by many. A sociable evening with many interesting conversations draws to a close.

On Saturday, the day starts early with the Eiger Express heading up to the Eiger Glacier. Some mountain guides have quite a load to carry, with one pair of skis for the giant slalom and another for the uphill race. Others compete in both races with the same pair of skis, just as they do in their professional practice. The anniversary ice axe is a bit hesitant—it’s pouring rain in the morning and requires some persuasion to make it to the giant slalom start. And as if the weather maker were a mountain guide, the rain stops just in time for the 10 a.m. start and the clouds begin to clear. The long course kicks off for mountain guides born in 1964 and later, with a few telemarkers also showing their skills. The competition continues on the shorter course with the older mountain guides and their companions. Not only do the mountain guides compete against each other, but the companions also fight for every hundredth of a second. Shortly after noon, the downhill race concludes and everyone gathers at the finish for the uphill race. At 1 p.m., the best giant slalom racers start the uphill race with skins on their skis. The route leads from Salzegg to Fallboden and on to the Eiger Glacier. The race follows the Gundersen method, meaning the fastest start first and are chased by those behind. Despite the effort, everyone enjoys themselves and happily arrives at the Eiger Glacier. Here, they are already awaited by the anniversary ice axe—a finisher photo is a must, especially now that the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau are bathed in sunlight. The aperitif at the Schreinerbar is well-deserved, and discussions about the race and plans for next year ensue.

A few hours later, the mountain guides and their companions gather at the Hotel Sunstar for the gala evening. In traditional uniform, they dine and celebrate in style. Between courses, the award ceremony takes place, giving the winners their deserved recognition. Eating, chatting, joking, and discussing continue into the late evening hours, and soon the party moves to the basement—even the anniversary ice axe couldn't miss out on this... but some things are best kept secret 😊