Six years without a Swiss victory: now Vogt drove himself into bobsleigh history

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Once upon a time there was a young man who had to save the former bobsled country of Switzerland – and he succeeded. The ice canal fairy tale by Michael Vogt (25). The man from Schwyz raced to his first World Cup victory this weekend with his Aargau pusher Sandro Michel (27).

Is the premiere victory in La Plagne the biggest victory of your career, even compared to the World Cup bronze in St. Moritz? “It is difficult to say,” he tells Blick, “the pressure was greater at the World Cup at home and a World Cup medal counts more. On the other hand, we have now won a race that was comparable to a World Cup in terms of starting field.”

Even though Helvetic victories were normal in the past, in the era of the dominant Germans with superior sled equipment, Vogt’s triumph is a milestone. He continues the rich Swiss bobsleigh history, which he once marveled at after his first podium finish in 2020 in the Bobsleigh Museum in Celerina GR.

If Vogt wins now in La Plagne, the last Swiss victory to this day will have been exactly six years ago. In 2017, Clemens Bracher (36) achieved his only World Cup victory. Bracher is also at the beginning of Vogt’s climb to the top of the world. When the last remaining pilot with World Cup experience, the Bernese, resigned, the once proud bobsled nation was forced to completely rebuild with many newcomers.

Vogt started in 2018 as an inexperienced bobsleigh student

One of those bobsleigh students from back then? Vogt. The gymnast from STV Wangen was discovered by former world champion Ivo Rüegg (52) and quickly attracted attention with his speed. Because Vogt – unusually for the sport – was not first a pusher and then a pilot, he made his World Cup debut in 2018 at just 20 years old and just two years after his first bobsleigh ride.

The skilled poly mechanic quickly established himself as Switzerland’s No. 1 and became a beacon of hope. And Vogt delivers. Five years after the debut, the first World Cup victory follows a World Junior Championship title, a strong 4th place at the 2022 Olympic Games, World Cup bronze and eleven podium places.

“When I first started, it was difficult to predict how quickly I would be able to achieve something,” says Vogt. “Of course it can always be better. But we have been able to improve every year and can be proud of what we have achieved.” By the way, Vogt also found happiness in his private life on the ice canal. He has been in a relationship with World Cup pilot Melanie Hasler (25) for a year and a half.

Source : Blick