Highest Ever Ice Hockey Match Takes Place On The Jungfraujoch
On Monday, 5 August 2024, the highest ice hockey match in the world took place on the Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe: Players from the SCB, the ice hockey club of the city of Bern and 16 times Swiss champion and Swiss professionals from the National Hockey League (NHL) squared off in a showcase match at 3,454 metres above sea level and in bright sun-shine.
Numerous events with world-famous stars have already been organised on the Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe. It started in 2007 with players from the Swiss national football team at the kick-off for Euro 2008, followed by around 20 other events, for example with NBA star Tony Parker, the Klitsch-ko brothers, tennis star Roger Federer, Northern Irish professional golfer Rory McIlroy and Chinese star pianist Lang Lang.
The kick-off in front of invited guests and media representatives was at 5.30 pm. Despite the thin air, a good game developed, and the two teams gave each other nothing. Ramon Untersander, Simon Moser, Tristan Scherwey, Joël Vermin, Benjamin Baumgartner and Andri Henauer played for the SCB. Nino Niederreiter, Nico Hischier, Jonas Siegenthaler, Pius Suter and Philipp Kurashev were on the ice for the Swiss in the NHL, supported by former KHL and current SCB goaltender Adam Reideborn. In the end team NHL won with 6:5 despite a hat-trick from SCB player Benjamin Baum-gartner.
"It's amazing what they have set up here," said NHL player Nino Niederreiter after the game. "I'm thrilled." NHL player Philipp Kurashev was of the same opinion: "It's impressive." The time of the game was twice ten minutes. "Now that it's finished, I'm starting to warm up," said a laughing SCB player Tristan Scherwey.
The game was played on a synthetic ice rink measuring 30 x 15 metres. All the equipment was transported to the Jungfraujoch by the Jungfrau Railway. In addition, neither water nor energy was required for the synthetic ice.
Long-standing partnership and new SCB jersey unveiled
"I have been fighting for this ice hockey match to take place for a long time and I am very happy and satisfied that we have now been able to organise the event at short notice," said Jungfrau Railways Director Urs Kessler. The idea had been around for several years, "as most of the Swiss NHL pro-fessionals practice in Switzerland in the summer and we have a long-standing partnership with the SCB"
SCB CEO Marc Lüthi was also satisfied: "This is a unique experience for our players to play on the Jungfraujoch and to be able to show off their jerseys for the 24/25 season for the first time."
