The cradle of winter sports
The cradle of winter sports
In fact, the list of talents that Bruno Kernen lists seems almost endless: Gusti Oehrli, the couple Patrick and Christine Staub-von Grünigen, Martin Knöri, Gabriela Zingre, Markus Herrmann, Martin Knöri, Karl Eggen, Rosemarie Reichenbach... Kernen goes on and on. The former Alpine World Cup skier recalls many role models, colleagues and outstanding skiers who have shaped his career. And he has countless anecdotes about them, too. Kernen is, without a doubt, one of these top athletes. In the 1980s, he shook up the international ski circuit by conquering the dreaded Hahnenkamm run in Kitzbühel in 1983 – winning gold for Schönried and for the holiday destination of Gstaad. Because it was exactly here, like many other ski stars, that he made his first descent, taking to the slopes and training with tireless ambition on the many kilometres of pistes.
‘Back then, my world revolved solely around skiing. While my peers were interested in girls and cars, I was completely different. I was practically obsessed with skiing. That doesn’t mean that I wasn’t a little interested in cars and girls though...’ remembers Bruno Kernen, with a chuckle. Gstaad was the perfect playground for him back then, along with Horneggli, Rinderberg, Parwengen and Hugeli on the Rellerli. ‘The cable cars took us to the pistes earlier and earlier, and when the locals and guests came to the mountain to ski, we were already exhausted – exhausted and satisfied after skiing countless gates.
Word of the excellent training conditions spread like wildfire and suddenly he and his ski colleagues from Saan were joined by countless others. ‘Franz Julen travelled with his brother Max, one of our fellow competitors, who became the Olympic giant slalom champion in Sarajevo. They had heard about how good the snow is in our region. The conditions were even better than in Zermatt,’ he proudly explains. His fellow athlete, Mike von Grünigen, also shares this feeling of pride. ‘Our range of slopes are hugely diverse, which is a big bonus for current athletes, just as it was for us at the time.
And the best thing is, it’s right on our doorstep today, just as it was back then,’ says von Grünigen. Coming the generation after Bruno Kernen, he put a huge amount of pressure on his competitors in the World Cup, going on to earn his first World Cup points in 1989. After that, there was no stopping him. Mike has 23 victories to his name; he was world champion twice in the giant slalom and is still the fourth most successful athlete in this discipline, after Ingemar Stenmark (Sweden),
Marcel Hirscher (Austria) and Ted Ligety (USA). As one of Gstaad’s premium exports, he believes that the region contributed to his success. From Schönried via Saanenmöser to St. Stephan and Zweisimmen, from Eggli to Videmanette or to Glacier 3000, the ski region, with its varied and abundant pistes, offered the former ski star one of the most diverse training opportunities.
Mike von Grünigen also owes his fast track to success to Gstaad’s many sporting opportunities and ski clubs. ‘The complete range on offer is spot on. We still currently have eight ski clubs, all of which promote young talent. The motivation to train the next generation of skiers is palpable,’ he says. He enjoys seeing how active club life still is. He also does his part by training the Schönried Ski Club juniors and passing on his knowledge of ski techniques.
Someone listened particularly attentively – his son, Noel von Grünigen. Like his father, the 28-year-old skier competes alongside the world’s best athletes. He specialises in giant slalom and slalom races. He first took to the slopes in the holiday region of Gstaad – a region that is particularly close to his heart. ‘It’s my home. I always appreciate getting to come back here after competitions or training
at home or abroad. The landscape is idyllic, the atmosphere is peaceful and the region exudes an irresistible charm,’ gushes the B squad member. He originally never planned to compete in the World Cup like his father. The environment encouraged, motivated and inspired him to do so. ‘A homely atmosphere dominates here, which encourages you to aim higher.’ To achieve his goals, Noel spent many hours on the slopes on the Wasserngrat and on the Hublen in Saanen – both of which are recognised FIS routes that have been visited by big international names like Petra Vlhová, who came to train in winter 2023.‘The pistes are extremely challenging, providing the perfect groundwork for international success,’ says Noel von Grünigen.
A sporting environment
The comprehensive infrastructure with modern lifts and pistes for all ability levels, combined with active club life and the Bernese
Oberland Ski Association (BOSV), already offers a comprehensive package for training top athletes. This is boosted further by the support from schools, as the example of Lara Marti shows. She is completing her sports training at Gstaad Saanenland Tourism. This means that she can go on to complete her commercial training over four years instead of three and do this with an 80 per cent workload. Since the summer of 2022, GST has been recognised by Swiss Olympic as a competitive, sports friendly training company, supporting young professional athletes in their training. Lara attends the Thun business school, with a campus in Ebnit, and is able to successfully combine vocational training and competitive sports. The Gstaad branch of the Interlaken Secondary School also offers this opportunity for young athletes. ‘I feel hugely supported, which is why I can easily combine vocation and sport,’ says Lara Marti.
Just like Bruno Kernen and Mike and Noel von Grünigen, she also waxes lyrical about the snow sports on offer in the holiday region of Gstaad. Her preferences are, however, completely different: as a biathlete, she covers kilometre after kilometre on the local cross-country trails. Asked whether she has a favourite, she takes a deep breath and laughs.‘That’s a difficult choice.’ From Schönried to Saanenmöser, the terrain is wonderfully hilly and technically demanding. The Sparenmoos offers a variety of routes and trails perfect for her training. ‘The differences in altitude of the individual cross-country trails throughout the region enable us athletes from the Saanenland to fully prepare for international competitions.’ Cross-country skiers can also attempt to beat local former World Cup cross-country skier Nathalie von Siebenthal’s time on the training route in Turbach.
It doesn’t always have to be a competition
It’s clear to see, the holiday region of Gstaad enjoys a diverse world-class snow sports infrastructure. And the best thing about it is there’s something for everyone – not just our top athletes. Several ski areas boast beginner slopes, learning parks, blue and red runs, gentle slopes and plentiful culinary options, including restaurants, après-ski huts and mountain guest houses. What do our former and current athletes all do to unwind? Bruno Kernen swears by ski touring, promising ‘Pure relaxation!’ His insider tip: ‘Visit our region in spring. You’ll be amazed at the top-class conditions on the slopes.’
Noel von Grünigen likes to spend his days off on the Eggli and the Videmanette. ‘It’s a wonderful area that always offers surprises for skiers coming to the mountain for the first time. The vastness and diversity is sure to amaze many.’
For an enjoyable and relaxing day of cross-country skiing, the biathlete heads for the opposite direction: Lauenen. ‘The cross-country ski trail is away from the hustle and bustle and noise. After a snowfall, Lauenen transforms into a winter wonderland. The snow-covered landscape impresses across the board,’ gushes Lara Marti.
Mike von Grünigen likes something a bit more action-packed:‘When I’m not on my piste, the MVG Run at Horneggli, I go to Glacier 3000 to ski on the new black run, the Black Wall.’ He enjoys encountering powder snow. ‘As already said: everyone will find something to do in the holiday region of Gstaad, as there is something for every difficulty level,’ explains von Grünigen.
PORTING ACTIVITIES IN THE HOLIDAY REGION OF GSTAAD – IN FIGURES
- 41 mountain railway and chair lifts
- 200 kilometres of pistes
- Five learning parks and a snow park with 180 kilometres of cross-country skiing trails
- 30 kilometres for sledding
- 70 kilometres for snowshoe hikes, mountain restaurants, the Offcut food truck, après-ski and many other dining options next to the slopes
- From next winter, there will be a giant fondue caquelon (pot) on the Rinderberg ski slope.
