Pirmin Zurbriggen: Return to Sacred Ground

On Friday morning, the sun lit up the Valaisan peaks as Pirmin Zurbriggen strapped on his skis. Standing at Bella Lui, in the downhill start cabin, he launched himself onto the legendary Nationale slope. A simple skid, a few turns, and the memories came flooding back. “At the top, the emotions were overwhelming,” he confides. “I relived the images from that time, I remembered how I felt as an athlete, even today at 60 years old.”

His gaze drifts down the slope. He imagines the crowd, the excitement, the unique atmosphere that made Crans-Montana 1987 a legendary chapter in Swiss skiing. “As I skidded through the final section of the course, I pictured myself forty years ago. I could imagine all the spectators. These are images and emotions that stay with you for life.”

Memories Etched Forever

The 1987 World Championships remain an unforgettable moment in Pirmin Zurbriggen’s life. Four medals, including two golds in giant slalom and super-G, bring back intense emotions. “My best memory is passing Cry d’Er, with a view over the entire Rhône Valley. The panorama is extraordinary. All those spectators, everyone vibrating with you— it was a unique atmosphere.”

Beyond the fierce competition he faced from his fellow Swiss skiers, the former champion reflects on the privilege of experiencing such a moment in his home canton. “Valais offers us a unique opportunity. We can ski in incredible nature—nothing can give you more satisfaction. It’s pure joy.”

A Record to Beat in 2027

The 1987 Championships marked one of the first golden eras of Swiss skiing. The Swiss team claimed 14 medals, a record that still stands today. For now. The new generation, having collected 13 medals at the recent World Championships in Saalbach, is eager to do even better. Will Marco Odermatt, Franjo von Allmen, Loïc Meillard, Camille Rast, Wendy Holdener, and Malorie Blanc surpass that achievement in two years on the slopes of Mont Lachaux and the Nationale?

“Let’s already be happy with what we have and look forward to experiencing more great moments,” smiles the Haut-Valaisan. Deep down, the man with 40 World Cup victories knows that a new chapter of history is already being written. And he will be there to experience it fully in 2027—with the same thrill as in 1987, forty years later.