First ‘Chinese’ Ski Race Held In Zermatt
The "Matterhorn European Chinese Ski and Snowboard Competition" was the first ski race to be held in Zermatt exclusively for Chinese participants. A local lead the way: Valais ski racer, Olympic medallist and world champion Ramon Zenhäusern was forerunner for the race route and presented the awards.
On Saturday, 30 March 2019 a Chinese ski and snowboard race took place in Zermatt for the first time – the Matterhorn European Chinese Ski and Snowboard Competition. Skiers of all levels were eligible to enter – but only if they are Chinese nationals. The race was aimed particularly at Chinese people living in Europe. The organisers were also from the Chinese community, namely Mountaineer GmbH, which is based in Germany.
Growing Chinese market
Zermatt Tourism has been active in the Chinese market for over ten years and has seen a significant increase in Chinese skiers in the past five years. "The fact that Beijing is the venue for the 2022 Winter Olympics is also a major reason why Chinese people are so enthusiastic about winter sports. It’s a development we can clearly see," says Janine Imesch, Head of Marketing at Zermatt Tourism. Services such as Chinese-language ski lessons are supporting this development.
Star guest: Ramon Zenhäusern
Ski racer, Olympic medallist and world champion Ramon Zenhäusern was the star guest. He opened the race as the forerunner at 9.50 am and hosted the awards ceremony at the end. The race ran on piste numbers 63 and 65, starting on Trockener Steg in Zermatt.
Programme:
| 9.50 to 10 am | Ramon Zenhäusern, forerunner |
| 10.15 am | Ski race in four categories, 30 minutes each. Categories: Ladies' Ski, Men's Ski, Ladies' Snowboard, Men's Snowboard |
| 12.30 pm | Youth race |
| 2.30 pm | Award ceremony and presentation of prizes with Ramon Zenhäusern |
