Doubts increase after the cancellation – SRF-Berthod calls for a date change: Does the Matterhorn descent have a future at all?

But then the weather developed as the numerous critics of this project had predicted for November in the Matterhorn region: the training sessions on Thursday and Friday had to be canceled due to snowfall and insufficient visibility. And because heavy gusts of wind accompanied the snowfall on Saturday night, the first descent was canceled in the early morning hours by FIS race director Markus Waldner.

“This is a difficult decision – my heart is bleeding,” Julen announces in a tearful voice. The decision is particularly painful because just a few hours after the cancellation the entire track was under the sun.

“The slope has developed negatively”

But Waldner still made the right decision 100 percent of the time: the slope staff had no chance of removing the fresh snow from the slopes in time. Austrian downhill coach Sepp Brunner addresses another problem: “In recent days, heavy machines have been used to remove fresh snow from the slopes. As a result, part of the steep slope was damaged.”

ÖSV head coach Marko Pfeifer echoes the same sentiment: “After the great training on Wednesday, the slope has developed so negatively that it will be difficult to hold a race even in good weather.” Due to this seemingly hopeless situation, several team bosses called for the immediate cancellation of the race scheduled for Sunday on Saturday morning so that the athletes could travel home early.

But this request was rejected by the race management. The chance that the World Cup premiere on the “Gran Becca” will take place this weekend is small, especially because the meteorologists predict forty centimeters of fresh snow.

“The chance is very small”

The question must therefore be asked whether the speed opener in Zermatt-Cervinia has a future at all? Markus Waldner has already announced that the FIS management will have to sit down with the OC again after the women’s races scheduled for next week and talk about everything.

For a long time, Marc Berthod spoke only positively about the Matterhorn descent. But now the two-time winner of Adelboden, who was the first to drive the “Gran Becca” as an SRF camera driver on Wednesday, also expresses doubts about the usefulness of this November race. “Unfortunately, the last few days have shown that there is very little chance that the weather on the Matterhorn will allow a race at this time of year. And that’s why you really have to seriously ask yourself whether this gigantic effort is worth it for this small opportunity.”

“That would be a strong signal for environmental protection.”

Berthod advocates moving the two-country event on the FIS calendar from November to March. “In March there is sufficient natural snow in this area and experience shows that the weather is much more stable than in November. And because you no longer have to store 300,000 cubic meters of artificial snow for the race circuit like last summer, the organizers would also send a clear signal for the protection of the environment.

OC boss Julen spoke out against the Matterhorn race at the end of the season in an interview with Blick in October. “None of our sponsors were interested in a World Cup event in the spring. These companies logically want to invest their money in summer sports at this time of year.”

But Berthod does not accept this argument: “I am quite sure that companies concerned with environmental protection would be willing to sponsor the Matterhorn descent in the spring.” What is certain is that the last word on this issue has not yet been spoken.