Ski history ... german
The early days
“Hunter Negele’s son has lost his mind; he has boards on his feet,” remarked an astonished Liechtensteiner, when he saw the Princely Chief Hunter Josef Negele from Triesenberg descend Balischgut on skis in the year 1895.
Inspired by Princely public servants from Austria to try this new mode of travel for himself, Josef Negele advanced to become the first well-known Liechtenstein skier. He waxed his skies with soap, used a long mountain stock in place of two sticks, and bound trouser braces to the skis instead of pelts.
The twenties
Over the following years skiing remained an activity for individual sports fans, until Swiss border guards – posted to Liechtenstein’s borders from 1924 onwards – brought the pursuit further popularity.
The “Liechtenstein Ski Club” was founded on 17 November 1926. Initially, this club (whose members also included the long-standing sports functionaries Fritz Thöny and Hans Ritter), undertook tours of the Alpine landscape.
The thirties
The Liechtenstein Ski Association [Liechtensteinische Ski-verband (“LSV”)] was founded on 10 December 1936. This laid the foundations for organised and structured sporting activities in Liechtenstein.
In addition to two bob riders, the skiers Franz Schädler and Hubert Negele took part in the 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
The Schaan and Triesenberg ski clubs organised races and presented the first ski courses.
Franz Schädler emerged as national champion from the first Liechtenstein ski championships, which were staged on 6/7 March 1937 with 19 participants.
The forties
Ski sport developed and also began to enjoy increasing popularity amongst women and girls. Following the opening of the Gnalp-Steg Tunnel, it also became possible to reach the ski regions of Steg and Malbun with ease.
The development of ski sport in Liechtenstein in the forties was closely associated with the name of Sepp Ender, holder of a Swiss ski instructor licence and later founder of Triesenberg Skiing School. It was at his initiative that in 1940 the LSV opened a ski school. This laid an important foundation for the promotion of the sport as a mainstream pursuit.
The growing activities of six Liechtenstein ski clubs meant there was an increasing number of opportunities to take part in winter sports competitions.
In 1944 the LSV became affiliated to the Swiss Ski Association.
A well-prepared Liechtenstein team took part in the 1948 Winter Olympics held in St. Moritz, consisting of six Alpine skiers and five Nordic skiers.
The fifties
A further milestone in Liechtenstein’s ski sport development was reached on 2 February 1950 with the opening of the first ski lift in Steg.
The ski clubs extended their activities, e.g. by organising the 1st Corporate Championships (1951) and staging the first night slalom (1954).
Liechtenstein’s skiers achieved increasing success in foreign competitions. However, due to financial constraints no team was sent to the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo. In 1956, though, a team was sent to the Olympiad in Cortina d'Ampezzo.
The sixties
Malbun developed into the centre of Liechtenstein ski sport. Since 1959 the road to Malbun has also been kept open for cars during the winter months. The first two ski lifts were installed in Malbun in 1962/63.
In 1963 the LSV staged the first junior championships, and organised youth ski courses with experienced foreign trainers. A national ski team was established in 1966.
At the international level, Liechtenstein’s participation in the Winter Olympics in Sqzaw Valley (1960), Innsbruck (1964) and Grenoble (1968) are worthy of mention. In 1968 Martha Bühler started as Liechtenstein’s first female skier.
The seventies
Liechtenstein grew into a major force in the world of skiing. The foundations of this success were the professional management of the LSV, the creation of a sustainable financial basis, the co-operation with the Swiss and Austrian ski associations as well as the targeted development of winter sports amongst the young.
In 1972, Claudia Sprenger was the first cross-country skier from Liechtenstein to successfully take part in a Winter Olympics.
At the Olympiad in Sapporo (1972), Martha Bühler advanced to the top ranks of world sportsmanship. In December 1973 Hanni Wenzel achieved the first World Cup victory.
At the following Olympiads and world championships Willi and Paul Frommelt as well as Andreas and Hanni Wenzel won gold, silver and bronze medals.
The eighties
Hanni Wenzel’s Olympic achievements in Lake Placid (1980) with three gold and two silver medals, not forgetting the two silver medals won by her brother Andreas, catapulted Liechtenstein to the centre of international sporting attention. Shortly thereafter, Hanni and Andreas Wenzel were crowned the overall World Cup champions.
The up-and-coming talent Ursula Konzett also won medals at the 1982 World Championships and at the 1984 Olympic Games. Liechtenstein’s ski sporting activities reached the peak of their international success.
In 1984 the successful training association between the LSV and the Swiss Ski Association came to end. This meant new and independent structures needed to be created.
The nineties
Following the departure of the successful ski sportsmen and sportswomen along with functionaries, new individuals assumed responsibility. The following years were characterised by a period of reorganisation.
Short skis (so-called “Firngleiters”) appeared. National and international championships were won, and Emil Vogt is crowned double world champion in 1989.
The cross-country skier Markus Hasler, the Alpine skiers Achim Vogt, Markus Foser and Birgit Heeb secured their first World Cup points. Further Liechtenstein ski sports highlights were the victories secured by Achim Vogt and Marco Büchel. In 1995 Achim Vogt won a gold medal at the World Cup competition in Tignes.
In 1994 the LSV was able to conclude a new agreement with the Swiss Ski Association to form a joint training body.
In 1999 Marco Büchel became vice world champion, and in 2001 he achieved a second place in Japan
Ski sport has continued to change and develop. New sports disciplines have appeared. For example, snowboarding has become increasingly popular amongst the young in Liechtenstein.
