The Inferno Race At Murren January 2002

by Jane Fairclough

Members may be interested to know that Peter (Fairclough) competed in the Inferno race in Murren, Switzerland, on January 20th and did extremely well. He was one of the 15 members of the DHO team and provided one of their best results gaining a bronze medal in the over 50s category. He was 2nd of the over 60s. (There were only 3 over 65s!).

The Inferno race was started by Sir Arnold Lunn in 1928. His son Sir Peter Lunn aged 87 years, his son and grandson also competed. It is an all comers Alpine downhill amateur Ski Race run between the Schiltorn and Lauterbrunnen containing uphill and flat sections. This year it ended at Winteregg, just below Murren (due to lack of snow).

Out of the 1800 competitors, starting at 12 second intervals throughout the day; most of the entrants came from Switzerland and Germany; of these there were about 170 British skiers, mostly members of the Murren based Kandahar Ski Club (and other independents and 15 DHOs) of which 3 obtained silver and approx 20 bronze. There was one gold per class; silver medals went to the respective gold times plus 30% and bronzes plus 60%. The classes were age related but curiously the men were in three groups and the ladies, much to their annoyance, only two!