Jungfrau Stafette
June 2nd, 2007 Zurich Swiss

Some 67 years ago, Switzerland saw a magnificent sports event: the Jungfrau Relay ("Jungfrau Stafette" in German) united athletes from several disciplines for a unique race combining traditional and modern sports. In addition to cyclists and runners, the Relay's revival in June 2007 will also include the participation of vintage cars - and even aircraft.



From 1931 to 1939, Swiss newspaper "Sport" organised a venturous race featuring runners, cyclists, aircraft, ski runners, motor-cyclists and sports cars. This unheard-of event could back then only be realized because imaginative organisers, keen sportsmen, and innovative supporters from military circles worked together as a team.



The magnificent event took place nine times before the races came to an abrupt end with the beginning of World War Two. 67 years later, the Jungfrau Relay is to be reinstated.



The revival will take place on June 2nd, 2007, when the race will lead the competitors along the route from Zurich to Jungfraujoch, Eggishorn, Sion, Lausanne and back to Zurich. Parts of the route will be covered by monoplanes built before 1950, biplanes from before 1960 as well as motorcycles and cars dating from the 1930s and before, all of which must complete their journeys within set times.



All other sections of the relay are actual races. Apart from traditional disciplines, teams will also compete in the modern sports of downhill cycling and paragliding.

The first leg of the race starts at the Swiss National Museum in Zurich and ends at Kloster Fahr where the runners will hand over the batons to the cyclists, who will continue the route to Birrfeld airfield via Heitersberg.



From there, vintage planes will take off in the direction of Jungfraujoch, where the batons are dropped to be caught by the skiers. After 12 kilometres of a high alpine ski race, the glacier runners take over and continue the descent to the Märjelensee.



This stage of the race is probably the most demanding as regards fitness, stamina, running technique and not least courage. For security reasons, all glacier runners will be provided special shoes made by Puma exclusively for the race.



The mountain racers will then climb the Eggishorn, which is a formidable challenge. The downhill cyclists will subsequently race on their high-tech bikes down to Fiescheralp where they will hand the batons over to the paraglider pilots. The next stage will be completed on motorbikes and ends in Sion, where high-powered sports cars will continue the race to Lausanne.



On the nearby Blécherette airfield, they drivers will hand the batons over to the airplane pilots who will fly the 140 km to Birrfeld. From there, cyclists will again cross the Heitersberg and pass on the batons to the final runners who will complete the last ten kilometres of the 13th stage of the Jungfrau Relay 2007 to the finish line at the Swiss National Museum in Zurich.



During the race, Birrfeld airfield will see a meeting of vintage planes and cars, offering great attractions for all visitors. On the Jungfraujoch, the public will have the opportunity to see vintage planes manoeuvring in the alpine landscape. For more information, please visit » www.jungfrau-stafette.ch.



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