Swiss-Ski sponsors are said to have suggested canceling the races in Crans-Montana after the fire disaster on New Year's Eve. Ski legend Pirmin Zurbriggen is glad that the OC decided otherwise.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- One month after the fire disaster, the Ski World Cup is stopping off in Crans-Montana this weekend.
- According to the "NZZ", the four most important sponsors of Swiss Ski suggested in advance that the races should be canceled. They had doubts as to whether this was the right signal.
- The Crans-Montana race committee decided to go ahead with the races. For Valais skiing legend Pirmin Zurbriggen, it was the right decision, as he reveals to blue News.
Important players in the Swiss ski world had suggested canceling the races in Crans-Montana, the NZZ reported on Thursday. The editorial team has received a letter signed by the CEOs of the four most important sponsors of Swiss Ski - the main sponsor Sunrise and the premium sponsors BKW, Raiffeisen and Helvetia.
In the letter, the sponsors express their "strong" doubts as to whether holding the World Cup event at the end of January is "the right signal" and can be commensurate with the extent of the disaster and the emotions associated with it.
On New Year's Eve, 40 people died in a fire in the "Le Constellation" bar in Crans-Montana and 116 others suffered serious injuries.
After intensive discussions, the organizing committee led by President Didier Défago has nevertheless decided to hold the World Cup races with an adapted supporting programme.
"Crans-Montana has wonderful things to offer"
The great Valais ski star Pirmin Zurbriggen (62) supports the decision of the OC. "It was a huge tragedy that needs to be dealt with properly," he tells blue News, "but at some point you have to say: you have to move on."
People must also look to the future. Crans-Montana is much more than this tragedy. Zurbriggen: "You should slowly change the picture. Crans-Montana has wonderful things to offer that you can present to people. It would be a shame if the focus was only on the tragedy, the skiers don't deserve that either."
Zurbriggen, who runs a hotel in Zermatt with his family, also watches the races on site. He has already cheered and suffered in the finish area in Adelboden, Wengen and Kitzbühel.
