World Cup Ski Racing - Wengen Men's Downhill

The word 'classic' is often over-used, but not in the case of this race. Set on the slopes of Lauberhorn above the Swiss resort of Wengen, this is a race that has the lot - history, drama and the best scenery on the world cup calendar.

The longest downhill race in the FIS World Cup calendar is also the most beautiful. With a backdrop featuring the north face of the Eiger, the Monch and Jungfrau, this is one race the organisers don't have to try too hard to sell. At just over 2 and three quarter miles in length, it takes nearly two and a half minutes for the top racers to get down, dropping like a stone 1000m vertically and at speeds approaching the Ski Federations maximum limit of 150 km/h (yes, that's over 90 mile per hour !). The race is one of the oldest in the world, dating back to the first running of it in 1930. Since then it's grown and grown and now attracts about 30,000 spectators for the actual race. The course features many famous sections such as the Hundschopf jump (where the racers appear to be jumping off a cliff face !); the Kernen-S where the skier hurtles into a 90 degree turn onto a small bridge and then into another 90 degree turn; the Wasserstation where the skier goes under the mountain railway in a tunnel, and the infamous Haneggschuss, where the top speeds can approach the 150km/h mark. Spectators who fancy there chances at emulating the professionals can actually ski the course after the race has finished - which is a bit like a football fan getting to have a kick around at Wembley after the FA Cup final !

Wengen Men's Downhill Champions

The list of winnners of the Lauberhorn since the event started way back in 1930 is as follows:

Year	Winner	Nationality	Notes
2011	Klaus Kroll	Austria
2010	Carlo Janka	Switzerland
2009	Didier D'fago	Switzerland
2008	Bode Miller	USA
2007	Bode Miller	USA
2006	Daron Rahlves	USA
2005	Michael Walchhofer	Austria
2004	No Race
2003	Bruno Kernen	Switzerland
2003	Stephan Eberharter	Austria	Extra Race on the Friday
2002	Stephan Eberharter	Austria
2001	No race
2000	Josef Strobl	Austria
1999	Lasse Kjus	Norway
1998	Andreas Schifferer	Austria
1998	Hermann Maier	Austria	Extra Race on the Friday
1997	Kristian Ghedina	Italy
1996	No Race
1995	Kyle Rasmussen	USA
1995	Kristian Ghedina	Italy	Extra Race on the Friday
1994	William Besse	Switzerland
1993	No Race
1992	Franz Heinzer	Switzerland
1991	No Race
1990	No Race
1989	Marc Girardelli	Luxembourg
1989	Marc Girardelli	Luxembourg	Extra Race on the Friday
1988	No Race
1987	Markus Wasmeier	West Germany
1986	No Race
1985	Helmut Hoflehner	Austria
1985	Peter Wirnsberger	Austria	Extra Race on the Sunday
1984	Bill Johnson	USA
1983	No Race
1982	Harti Weirather	Austria
1981	Toni Burgler	Switzerland
1980	Peter Muller	Switzerland
1980	Ken Read	Canada	Extra Race on the Friday
1979	No Race
1978	No Race
1977	Franz Klammer	Austria
1976	Franz Klammer	Austria
1976	Herbert Plank	Italy	Extra Race on the Friday
1975	Franz Klammer	Austria
1974	Roland Collombin	Switzerland
1973	No Race
1972	No Race
1971	No Race
1970	Henri Duvillard	France
1969	Karl Schranz	Austria
1968	Gerhard Nenning	Austria
1967	Jean-Claude Killy	France
1966	Karl Schranz	Austria
1965	Stefan Sodat	Austria
1964	Egon Zimmermann	Austria
1963	Karl Schranz	Austria
1962	No Race
1961	Guy Perillat	France
1960	Willy Bogner	West Germany
1959	Karl Schranz	Austria
1958	Toni Sailer	Austria
1957	Toni Sailer	Austria
1956	Toni Sailer	Austria
1955	Toni Sailer	Austria
1954	Christian Pravda	Austria
1953	Anderl Molterer	Austria
1952	Othmar Schneider	Austria
1951	Othmar Schneider	Austria
1950	Fredy Rubi	Switzerland
1949	Rudolf Graf	Switzerland
1948	Zeno Colo	Italy
1947	Karl Molitor	Switzerland
1946	Jean Blanc	France
1945	Karl Molitor	Switzerland
1944	Rudolf Graf	Switzerland
1943	Karl Molitor	Switzerland
1942	Karl Molitor	Switzerland
1941	Rudolf Graf	Switzerland
1940	Karl Molitor	Switzerland
1939	Karl Molitor	Switzerland
1938	Heinz von Allmen	Switzerland
1937	Heinz von Allmen	Switzerland
1936	Hans Schlunegger	Switzerland
1935	Richard Werle	Austria
1934	Adolf Rubi	Switzerland
1933	No Race
1932	Fritz Steuri	Switzerland
1931	Fritz Steuri	Switzerland
1930	Christian Rubi	Switzerland

Wengen Men's Downhill Most Successful Skiers

Swiss skier Karl Molitor is the king of the Lauberhorn, having won it 6 times, 5 of them during the war when the race was one of the few to be run, what with the Swiss being neutral and all that. Austrian legends KArl Schranz, Toni Sailer and Franz Klammer al come next in the list , along with Swiss skier Rudolph Graz. Of the modern-day era only Bode Miller and Stephan Eberharter have won it more than once.

Number of Titles	Name	Nationality	Years
6	Karl Molitor	Switzerland	1939 1940 1942 1943 1945 1947
4	Karl Schranz	Austria	1959 1963 1966 1969
4	Toni Sailer	Austria	1955 1956 1957 1958
3	Franz Klammer	Austria	1975 1976 1977
3	Rudolf Graf	Switzerland	1941 1944 1949
2	Bode Miller	USA	2007 2008
2	Fritz Steuri	Switzerland	1931 1932
2	Heinz von Allmen	Switzerland	1937 1938
2	Kristian Ghedina	Italy	1995 1997
2	Marc Girardelli	Luxembourg	1989 1989
2	Othmar Schneider	Austria	1951 1952
2	Stephan Eberharter	Austria	2002 2003
1	Adolf Rubi	Switzerland	1934
1	Anderl Molterer	Austria	1953
1	Andreas Schifferer	Austria	1998
1	Bill Johnson	USA	1984
1	Bruno Kernen	Switzerland	2003
1	Carlo Janka	Switzerland	2010
1	Christian Pravda	Austria	1954
1	Christian Rubi	Switzerland	1930
1	Daron Rahlves	USA	2006
1	Didier D'fago	Switzerland	2009
1	Egon Zimmermann	Austria	1964
1	Franz Heinzer	Switzerland	1992
1	Fredy Rubi	Switzerland	1950
1	Gerhard Nenning	Austria	1968
1	Guy P'rillat	France	1961
1	Hans Schlunegger	Switzerland	1936
1	Harti Weirather	Austria	1982
1	Helmut H"flehner	Austria	1985
1	Henri Duvillard	France	1970
1	Herbert Plank	Italy	1976
1	Hermann Maier	Austria	1998
1	Jean Blanc	France	1946
1	Jean-Claude Killy	France	1967
1	Josef Strobl	Austria	2000
1	Ken Read	Canada	1980
1	Klaus Kroll	Austria	2011
1	Kyle Rasmussen	USA	1995
1	Lasse Kjus	Norway	1999
1	Markus Wasmeier	West Germany	1987
1	Michael Walchhofer	Austria	2005
1	Peter M_ller	Switzerland	1980
1	Peter Wirnsberger	Austria	1985
1	Richard Werle	Austria	1935
1	Roland Collombin	Switzerland	1974
1	Stefan Sodat	Austria	1965
1	Toni B_rgler	Switzerland	1981
1	William Besse	Switzerland	1994
1	Willy Bogner	West Germany	1960
1	Zeno Col	Italy	1948

Wengen Men's Downhill Most Successful Nations

Bad news for the home nation, with the Austrians still leading the way on the LAuberhorn course, with 29 victories compared to 25 from the Swiss. The hat-trick of American victories from 2006 to 2008 by Daron Rahlves and Bode Miller catapulted the USA to be the third most successful nation on the hill, and one of the most surprising facts is that the Canadians and the Scandanavians only have one victory each here thanks to two legends of the sport Ken Read and Lasse Kjus.

Number of Titles	Nation	Years
29	Austria	1935 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1963 1964 1965 1966 1968 1969 1975 1976 1977 1982 1985 1985 1998 1998 2000 2002 2003 2005 2011
25	Switzerland	1930 1931 1932 1934 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1947 1949 1950 1974 1980 1981 1992 1994 2003 2009 2010
5	USA	1984 1995 2006 2007 2008
4	France	1946 1961 1967 1970
4	Italy	1948 1976 1995 1997
2	Luxembourg	1989 1989
2	West Germany	1960 1987
1	Canada	1980
1	Norway	1999

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Keywords : FIS Alpine Ski World Cup List of Men's Downhill Champions Wengen : alpine ski racing annual competition wengen austria : list of best downhill skiers and ski racers in wengen history