SEASON 2022/23

THE 2023 NIGHT SLALOM IS CANCELLED

29.09.2022 – Due to restrictions on electric energy use at all levels, the Men's Night Slalom by invitation, scheduled for Wednesday January 11, 2023 will not be taking place.

This decision was definitely a difficult one to take, but it is a perfect illustration of the Organising Committee’s sensitivity to environmental problems.

Let's hope that the situation will return to normal as soon as possible, and that everyone - champions, organisers and spectators – will be able to get together again in January 2024, in the finish area for this magnificent Men's Night Slalom, to applaud the slalom aces that excite us each and every year.

SLALOM SPECIALISTS' SHOW WEDNESDAY 11 JANUARY 2023

10.07.2022 - The Men's Night Slalom, organised by the Crans-Montana World Cup Organising Committee in close collaboration with the CMA lift company, is adding a new chapter to its young history. For the new 2022/23 season, this invitation-only technical event, which sees some of the world's top names on the start line, is scheduled for Wednesday 11 January, which is again an ideal date as it falls between the World Cup races in Adelboden and Wengen. The attractive "Knockout" format convinced everyone, and will therefore be repeated in 2023. 

Local matador, Luca Aerni, says of the slalom course: "This slope is absolutely suited to the World Championships. The fans can follow us closely from start to finish, in a fascinating atmosphere”.

SEASON 2021/22

On the course, in the stadium, waht a show!

Video: SkiActu

Marius Robyr: «This slalom is a great success»

13.01.2022 - The night slalom in Crans-Montana was a great sporting and popular success. Marius Robyr, president of the organising committee, was delighted with the event.

The resort has proved once again that it is ready to organise a wonderful competition under the Valais stars, with the best specialists in the world, with the aim of eventually being able to organise a World Cup slalom, before, perhaps, hosting the World Championships in 2027.

Video (in French only): SkiActu

JAKOBSEN: "THIS CRANS-MONTANA SLALOM IS INCREDIBLE" 

12.01.2022 - The Crans-Montana night slalom has a new winner ! After Clément Noël’s double victory, and Luca Aerni’s last year, it was Kristoffer Jakobsen who won this fourth edition. The Swede fully deserves his success: after winning the first round, the leader in the general classification of the discipline finished 2nd in the two following rounds, before going on to win the final series.

The Scandinavian, who is always happy to return to Crans-Montana, shared a few thoughts on his victory after the final heat. "This slalom is incredible. I love the competition that you organise here by attracting the best slalom racers in the world. "

Vidéo: SkiActu

Kristoffer Jakobsen sets the Crans-Montana night slalom alight

12.01.2022 - Kristoffer Jakobsen has won the Crans-Montana night slalom in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd. The Swede beat the Italians Stefano Gross and Manfred Mölgg in the final, Tanguy Nef finished in 5^th place. The competition was spectacular.

In the Crans-Montana night slalom on Wednesday evening, Kristoffer Jakobsen confirmed his status as the best slalom skier at the beginning of this winter season. After a very tough competition, and in front of a large and enthusiastic audience, the Swede, currently co-leader in the World Cup slalom rankings, won the final made up of the five best competitors of the evening. The Scandinavian won the race ahead of an Italian duo composed of Stefano Gross (+0.18) and Manfred Moelgg (+0.62). Kristoffer Jakobsen's victory is well deserved, as he finished in either 1st or 2nd place in all of his heats. He leaves the Valais resort with the winner’s cheque for 25,000 Swiss francs.

Tanguy Nef in the final

The Swiss did not disappoint in this unique format race, comprising four heats where the slowest competitors were eliminated each time. But for the first time in the four editions organised in the resort, there were no Swiss skiers on the final podium. Finalist Tanguy Nef might have hoped to follow in the footseps of his compatriot Luca Aerni’s win, but the skier from Geneva overdid it in the final, and after a major mistake, finished 5th in the event.

The defending champion Luca Aerni was eliminated in the third round, just before the final. Finishing in sixth place, he missed qualifying by just two hundredths of a second. It was a pity for the Barzettes Ski Club skier, who is in great shape at the moment, and who gave his all in front of his home crowd. The Crans-Montana athlete won the second heat, ahead of Jakobsen. Daniel Yule (7th) and Marc Rochat (8th) were also knocked out of the competition in the 2^nd heat, as was France’s Clément Noël, who has already won twice in the past here.

A unique show for a spectacular race under the stars

The show under the stars in Crans-Montana was magnificent. And the Haut-Plateau resort demonstrated its potential, as well as its organisational and sporting assets, in the race for the 2027 World Championships, for which Crans-Montana is a candidate. The athletes, for their part, expressed their delight in taking part in this night event

deprez-dubuis photo

Reinforced health protection programme in Crans-Montana

12.01.2022 -In order to be able to organise their traditional night slalom, the Crans-Montana organising committee has had to tighten health protection measures.

In the current conditions, due to Covid-19, it is not always easy to organise sports competitions. Certain ski resorts abroad are cancelling their competitions, others are holding them behind closed doors. In Switzerland, for the time being, most events are still being held, as was the case in Adelboden last weekend, and also the night slalom in Crans-Montana this evening.

In order to do this, the organisers in Crans-Montana have done everything in their power to take the fewest possible risks. Marius Robyr, president for the Crans-Montana races, looks at the various measures being taken by the organising committee.

Video (in French only): SkiActu

The Crans-Montana slalom, a bet for the future?

12.01.2022 - Since 2019, Crans-Montana has been organising its traditional exhibition slalom. And it stands apart from conventional World Cup events, with its innovative rules, a special format, and it all takes place at nighttime. Is this the future of slalom on an international level? Let's take a look now, before this formula is possibly included on the world circuit. Perhaps between now and the 2027 World Championships in the Valais resort?

Point n°1: a night race

Schladming, Madonna Di Campiglio, Flachau: Crans-Montana was inspired by some of the greatest World Cup slaloms when it decided to offer this evening event. So it's not a revolution, but what is certain is that these night competitions appeal to a lot of people. Starting with the athletes: " I have the impression that the atmosphere is better at nighttime," says Ramon Zenhäusern.

Marc Rochat goes even further. "Night racing is the future. In my opinion, the FIS should plan it more often. It works really well with slalom.” It does indeed seem to work for short turn events. Much less so for other disciplines, where visibility is paramount and where the lighting costs would be far too high, given the length of the pistes. However this hasn’t prevented some organisers from launching a Giant (Alta Badia), or from imagining night downhill events.

As far as lighting is concerned, there are both good and bad points. The positive: with these "artificial" lights, skiers are sure to be competing on an equal footing, which is not always the case in the middle of the day in sunlight. The negative points: the cost, of course, but there is also the possibility that the light quality is not great. For example, last year in Crans-Montana, not everything was absolutely perfect in this respect, but things have improved for 2022.

Point n°2: shorter courses

Another particularity is the length of the heats. In contrast to the usual length, the Valais slalom offers runs which are under 30 seconds, which is only half the length of a standard event. And this can be disturbing: "We have to see in the long term if it sticks, because a usual slalom run lasts 50 seconds and it’s not easy to change habits. But in principle I like it", said Luca Aerni before going on to win last year’s event.

It does appear to be an obligation to keep the "normal" slaloms, but adding this new format with shorter races to the calendar would definitely bring change. And lately, the FIS seems to like change. "At least this is still real slalom! Not like their parallel idea for example!" As you will have understood by his comments, Daniel Yule much prefers this innovation to the one proposed by the FIS, which is not in a good way...

The coaches also have their own opinions on the matter, for example Thierry Meynet, the Swiss slalom team coach: "It's a sprint! You have to give it your all from the start, but there’s also a tactical aspect. I really like it! " Matteo Joris, the team’s head coach, is also thinking of the spectators: "You can see the start from the finish line, which is a big plus when you come to follow a race!" He’s not wrong.

Point n°3: the sequence of heats

Since the heats are shorter, competitors can do several in a row. And that doesn't seem to bother anyone, on the contrary. "It's new, but we're used to doing four to six heats like this in training. It's the same pace, at the end of the day" says France’s Clément Noël.

Ramon Zenhäusern even thinks that this succession of heats generates a certain excitement. "In general, when it comes to skiing, we always make progress from one heat to the next. It allows us to improve little details as we go along. This format is exciting."

The tight schedule of the competition means that athletes don't have time to dither. In the end, it's a bit like skicross or sprint competitions in cross-country skiing, with the various competitors having to making their way from the finish to the start point quickly. It should also be noted that in alpine skiing, parallel competitions have also been heading in this direction. No one was bothered by the sequence of events, fairness was however a bit more of an issue... however this is not the point.

Point n°4:an innovative elimination system

There are also some similarities with the famous parallel events. In both cases, no one is allowed to make a mistake. In addition, resetting the times really gives each round an exciting feel. For example, in this year's Crans-Montana slalom, an athlete can finish 15th (out of 22) in the first run, 10th (out of 15) in the second, then 5th (out of 10) in the third, and finally win the last run, which is the beauty of this format.

This five-way race for victory has a "double or nothing" aspect that provides enormous suspense and interest, especially for spectators. "It's a show, and it's also the idea of providing spectators and viewers with an hour of action," says Matteo Joris.

While his coach is thinking of the audience, Marc Rochat is definitely interested in the next generation: "We need something new. And this type of race can inspire young people and create a bit more enthusiasm in our sport. Unfortunately, I feel that this has been lacking in alpine skiing in recent years."

Point n°5: qualifiers

This point is perhaps the most volatile, because the system used in Crans-Montana does not appear to be feasible in the World Cup. In the case of this Wednesday, the top 20 on the WCSL list automatically qualify for the race, while the other 10 competitors pass through a qualifying round.

At the highest level, it would be possible to imagine a system where all athletes would have to qualify first in order to secure one of the twenty places in the final series. This would be similar to skicross and sprint in cross-country skiing, two sports that have been using this type of format for a long time, and which seem to have proved its worth.

The only drawback, which has already been encountered in the parallels, is where to hold these qualifiers? On the same piste as the final series? With the risk of literally ploughing the course? It’s not clear yet, but it all deserves some thought, and we can be sure that the FIS will find the right solution...

Ramon Zenhäusern,who will be absent, sends a message to his fans   

12.01.2022 - Ramon Zenhäusern has unfortunately had to pull out of the night slalom in Crans-Montana. The skier from Upper Valais, who recently finished fourth in the Adelboden slalom, needs to take a short break before the World Cup slalom in Wengen on Sunday. However he took the time to apologise personally to fans (video in French only), and confirms that he wants to return to the High Plateau next year. The Organizing Committee wishes him a good rest and good luck for the next important events.

Fine-tuning the piste

12.01.2022 - Injecting the track is a key element of the preparation before a professional race. Yesterday, on the eve of the night slalom and thanks to sub-zero temperatures, Matteo Joris, assisted by a number of coaches and Crans-Montana staff, injected water into the snow on the slalom piste. A few explanations.

Vidéo: SkiActu (in French only)

 DEPREZphoto sa, cransmontana

Luca Aerni is back home!

11.01.2022 - The skier from Barzettes will be defending his title on Wednesday in the night slalom in front of his home crowd. The 2017 World Combined Champion talks about his memories, and his love for this piste.

Come and cheer on the local hero in the finish stadium from 18.30 (free admission)! He will be fighting to win against some of the best specialists in the world.

Video (in French only): SkiActu

Work on the track is in full swing.

10.01.2022 - The slalom experts have every reason to rejoice: on Wednesday evening, the piste will be prepared to perfection! Race director Markus Murmann's team has been working hard for several days. The piste will be watered several times and thanks to the low night temperatures, it will be top notch, worthy of a World Cup.

DEPREZphoto sa, cransmontana

Sebastian FOss-solevaag injured

4 days to go!

8.01.2022 - On Wednesday, Crans-Montana will welcome some of the best slalom racers in the world for an impressive show at the night slalom event which will start at 18.30. Head coach for the Swiss team, Matteo Joris, who is in charge of the sporting side of the event, stopped off in the resort on the way to the slalom in Adelboden. He explains the special format for the event, and is pleased with progress in the preparation.

Video (in French only): SkiActu

A wonderful celebration 
under the stars in Crans-Montana

6.01.2022 - The line-up for the night slalom by invitation is once again set to be very strong on Wednesday 12 January in the Valais resort. The best Swiss skiers will cross swords with the cream of the discipline, led by Clément Noël and Sebastian Foss-Solevaag.

The show promises to be grandiose in Crans-Montana on Wednesday 12 January. All being well, the public will be able to watch most of the best slalom racers in the world in an evening show that promises to dazzle the Haut-Plateau. Many stars in the discipline have confirmed that they will be present in Valais for the 4^th edition of the invitation-only night slalom.

Clément Noël, winner of the first two editions, will once again be one to watch. The Frenchman, who won in Val d'Isère in December, has been on sparkling form since the beginning of the season. He won't be the only one vying for victory under the Valais stars though. Reigning world champion and winner in Madonna di Campiglio, Sebastian Foss-Solevaag is also hoping to win the trophy. The Norwegian will be accompanied by his compatriots Lucas Braathen and Timon Haugan, among others. The best Italians, led by Alex Vinatzer, the 2010 Olympic champion Giuliano Razzoli and Manfred Mölgg will also be present. And how about Dave Ryding, who is a regular at this Crans-Montana meet…

All these slalom stars will be competing against the very best Swiss slalom racers. The title holder, local Luca Aerni, will be hoping to repeat his win on a terrain that he loves. And given the form he is showing, the 2017 combined world champion can believe it might happen. He will be accompanied by Valaisans Daniel Yule and Ramon Zenhäusern as well as another skier from Crans-Montana, Marc Rochat. Tanguy Nef, Reto Schmidiger, Sandro Simonet and Noel von Grünigen are also hoping for success in front of the Swiss public.

Unlike last year, spectators will once again be allowed to attend the event, which will also be broadcast on RTS 2 from 19.10. However to come and cheer on the world's elite, members of the public will need to have a «3G» Covid-19 certificate, in accordance with the federal and cantonal directives in force.

Like last season, this spectacular night slalom has been organised in an innovative format. After a qualifier at 18.30, there will be four rounds. But only the bests will get through to the end. Of the 21 athletes starting at 19.10, the five slowest (six in the first round) will be eliminated in each heat. The five finalists will compete for prize-money of 50,000 francs, 25,000 of which will go to the winner.

The organisation of this event in Crans-Montana will give the resort - which wants to host the FIS Alpine Skiing World Championships in 2027, forty years after the memorable previous edition’87 in the resort - a great deal of visibility. The slalom course, which is very demanding, and very much appreciated by the world's best skiers as well as by the public as the entire course is visible to spectators, is one of the assets of the bid which hopes to secure the organisation of this major event at the next FIS Congress in Mai.

SLALOM SPECIALISTS' SHOW WEDNESDAY 12 JANUARY 2022

16.09.2021 - The Men's Night Slalom, organised by the Crans-Montana World Cup Organising Committee in close collaboration with the CMA lift company, is adding a new chapter to its young history. For the new 2021/22 season, this invitation-only technical event, which sees some of the world's top names on the start line, is scheduled for Wednesday 12 January, which is an ideal date as it falls between the World Cup races in Adelboden and Wengen. The organisers are already looking forward to welcoming again a large number of spectators to this magnificent nocturnal show. Last year's attractive "Knockout" format convinced everyone, and will therefore be repeated. 

Last year's winner, Luca Aerni, says of the slalom course: "This slope is absolutely suited to the World Championships. The fans can follow us closely from start to finish, in a fascinating atmosphere”.

 
Season 2020/21

MEN’S NIGHT SLALOM
WEDNESDAY 29 DECEMBER 2021

6.05.2021 - The Men’s Night Slalom, organised by the Crans-Montana World Cup Organising Committee, in close collaboration with the CMA ski lift company, is adding a new chapter to its young history. As was the case in 2020, this invitation-only event, which sees elite skiers in the discipline on the starting line, will take place between Christmas and New Year, more precisely on December 29. The organisers are hoping wholeheartedly that spectators will once again be present for the super 2021 night show. The attractive format at last year’s event convinced everyone, and will therefore be repeated this year. As for the slalom piste in Crans-Montana : it has proven time and again that it is perfectly suited to hosting the coveted World Championships.

A nice thank you from the slalom experts

31.12.2020 - From Clément Noël to Luca Aerni, via Ramon Zenhäusern, Marc Rochat, Julien Lizeroux and Daniel Yule, the French and Swiss slalom racers had a great time at the exhibition slalom in Crans-Montana. They have sent a short dedication in this video.

The next meet on the Mont Lachaux piste will be the two Women’s European Cup races (16-17 January) and two downhills and a super-G  for the Women’s World Cup (22-24 January). Unfortunately without spectators due to COVID-19, but on television of course, with great live broadcasts.

Video: SkiActu

Slalom skiers thrilled by the format

30.12.2020 - On Tuesday evening, Crans-Montana was for the first time the scene of a revamped slalom format. The heats lasted under thirty seconds, and the five slowest skiers were eliminated each time. A concept designed jointly by Marius Robyr, president of the organising committee, and Matteo Joris, head coach of the Swiss slalom team, with the aim of creating races that are dynamic and easy for everyone to understand.    

The new format was appreciated by the best Swiss and French specialists who took part in the slalom on the Mont-Lachaux piste, and which included Daniel Yule, Luca Aerni, Ramon Zenhäusern and Clément Noël.

Video in French only: SkiActu

Luca Aerni, fireworks at home!

29.12.2020 - What an ending for the night slalom in Crans-Montana! Although it was not open to the public, the festival of skiing was nonetheless superb, in the snowfall on the Haut-Plateau. And it was the local who won this stage. Thanks to some great skiing, Luca Aerni took home the 25,000 francs pledged to the winner !  

The skier from Barzettes beat Noel von Grünigen from Bern and France’s Clément Noël, the double title holder. Held in a new format on the Mont Lachaux piste, the exhibition was a great success. In the initial round, 20 athletes lined up to start. Then at the end of each heat, the five athletes in the bottom places were eliminated, until the grand final which brought together the five best slalom racers of the evening. This included Daniel Yule and Tanguy Nef, who took risks and didn’t finish.

The evening was full of suspense and twists right from the first heat. Indeed, two of the key favourites were eliminated at the beginning. Ramon Zenhäusern, recent winner of the Alta Badia slalom, straddled a gate a few seconds into the race. His team-mate Marc Rochat suffered the same fate.  

Broadcast live on RTS and organised in collaboration with the Association of the Municipalities of Crans-Montana, the Canton of Valais and the CMA ski lifts, the competition was a great success. On pistes that had been perfectly prepared by Marius Robyr’s teams, despite the snowfall, the skiers all enjoyed stopping off in Valais during this holiday period. An appointment has already been made for next year in the candidate resort for the 2027 World Championships. 

Video in French only: SkiActu

DEPREZphoto sa, cransmontana

Luca Aerni, great winner of the 3rd night slalom from Crans-Montana.

The podium: 1. Luca Aerni SUI; 2. Noel von Grünigen SUI; 3. Clément Noël FRA; 4. Daniel Yule SUI; 5. Tanguy Nef SUI

Luca Aerni SUI

Noel von Grünigen SUI

Clément Noël FRA

everything is ready!

Last adjustments for the Swiss slalom skiers

28.12.2020 - J-1 !  The Swiss skiers were training on the Mont Lachaux piste this Monday morning,  the day before the Crans-Montana invitation night slalom. On a perfectly prepared sprint course, they had a field day. Watch the reactions of the athletes Ramon Zenhäusern, Tanguy Nef and Marc Rochat and their trainers Matteo Joris and Thierry Meynet.

Video (in French only): SkiActu

DEPREZphoto sa, cransmontana

"A format designed for athletes and viewers"

The Crans-Montana slalom exhibition will be presenting a new concept this Tuesday evening on the Mont Lachaux piste. The instigator of the project, the Swiss slalom trainer, outlines the format.

A new race format will be presented at the slalom exhibition on 29 December in Crans-Montana. There will be 25 athletes at the start, including the best Swiss and French slalom racers at the moment, such as Daniel Yule, Ramon Zenhäusern, Loïc Meillard, Tanguy Nef and Clément Noël, double title-holder on the Haut-Plateau. At the end of each heat, the five skiers in the bottom places are eliminated, up until the final, which will feature the five best slalom skiers of the evening.  

This concept was jointly devised by Marius Robyr, president of the organising committee, and Matteo Joris, head coach of the Swiss slalom racers. "This format has been designed so that there is no downtime for either the athletes or the viewers", explains Matte Joris. "As it’s an exhibition, it’s also an opportunity to watch the best skiers three, four or five times. Also, for people watching the competition, it’s easy to understand, since those who come last are eliminated."

"The future of night slaloms"
So that the athletes can do one run after another, and so that the pace is fast, the heats will be no longer than 30 seconds. "The idea is that you give it your all. And the athletes appreciate this format, because they also have less time to wait between each heat.", continues the Swiss coach from the Valle d’Aosta, who sees this format as "the future of night slaloms". "It’s more interesting than the parallel in my opinion. You don’t have to have long pistes, and you can even find them in towns. You don’t necessarily award FIS points, but you guarantee attractive prize-money so that the best athletes will take part." In Crans-Montana, the total amount is CHF 50'000, the winner will receive CHF 25'000.

Swiss slalom skiers are the favourites
And the Swiss athletes will be keen to shine on the final wall of the Mont-Lachaux piste on Tuesday evening. "I sincerely think that we have the best team in the World Cup", says Matteo Joris, who welcomed Ramon Zenhäusern’s win in Alta Badia and the overall performance of his skiers on the Dolomites piste, even though the slalom the following day in Madonna di Campiglio wasn’t as successful. "We started the season as we finished the last one." That’s to say, with a bang. Enough for big ambitions for the winter that is only just beginning, and which continues in Crans-Montana.

Matteo Joris: the force behind the Swiss men's slalom team...

Ramon Zenhäusern is looking forward to skiing in Crans-Montana

Crans-Montana will host several of the best slalom skiers in the world on the Mont-Lachaux piste on Tuesday 29 December, for a promising exhibition race.  Among the headliners present on the Haut-Plateau, we will have the pleasure of seeing Ramon Zenhäusern at work.

Winner of the first slalom of the season on Monday in Alta Badia, his fourth World Cup win, the skier from Bürchen is on top form, and is looking forward to skiing on his home turf in Valais. 

Video (in French only)

A festive platter for Crans-Montana 

Led by the Valaisans Ramon Zenhäusern and Daniel Yule, several of the world’s best slalom racers will be present on 29 December for a night race in an innovative format. Several world-class teams have decided to accept the invitation to spend the period between Christmas and New Year in the Haut-Plateau region. 

The best Swiss will, of course, be present for this great festival of slalom.  Amongst Matteo Joris’ protégés, the presence of the recent winner of the first event this winter in Alta Badia, Ramon Zenhäusern, is therefore guaranteed. The same goes for Daniel Yule, who was 7^th in Italy and is still enjoying an extraordinary World Cup season. Tanguy Nef, 8^th on the Gran Risa, will be there, as will the two skiers from Crans-Montana ,Marc Rochat and Luca Aerni. With 17^th place in Alta Badia, the latter is close to being fully back on form, after two complicated winters.

But the Swiss won’t be the only ones wanting to impress on the Mont Lachaux piste. Double title holder Clément Noël is hoping once again to reach for the stars, namely the 25,000 francs promised to the winner. He won’t be the only French skier present in Valais, since brilliant veterans of the race, former double world champion Jean-Baptiste Grange and the fantastic Julien Lizeroux, as well as young Théo Letitre, will also be present. The charismatic and talented Dave Ryding (GBR) and Armand Marchant (BEL) will also be there, as well as several Italian slalom racers, who have been impressive on the World Cup front.

Organised in close collaboration with CMA ski lifts and Swiss-Ski, the event will be an opportunity to discover a new race format. Twenty five participants will start in the first round. In the following round, the 5 last places will be eliminated, and so on, until the final with the top 5, who will share total prize money of 50,000 francs.

The whole event, which will be held without spectators due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will be broadcast on RTS sports channels. The last three rounds will be broadcast live on RTS 2 from 7.30pm.

Special preparations for a special edition

18.12.2020 - With only ten days to go before the night slalom in Crans-Montana, preparations are going well. Although the invitation race will take place without spectators, and under strict sanitary conditions, the public will be able to follow most of the best slalom skiers on the planet on the RTS channels on December 29^th. President of the organising committee Marius Robyr looks back on a year that has been…special.

Video (in French only): Laurent Morel/SkiActu

Preparation of the night slalom course is underway

Two weeks away from the invitation-only men’s night slalom in Crans-Montana, the organisation teams are busy ! Particularly on the piste which will welcome the best slalom skiers on the planet on Tuesday 29 December. « Of course there’s work to do, explains Markus Murmann, race director on the Haut-Plateau. The men are skiing on an ice rink, so we have to be ready ». The snow that has fallen over the past few days makes his task easier.  

In concrete terms, he will have to pack, mix and even water the white gold layer. « I hope it’ll be cold », says the specialist, who will be working with the CMA ski lift employees over the next few days.  Next, the piste needs to be injected, with the help of a large bar that is specially used for the purpose. At least 20 people will be on deck to carry out these final preparations a few hours before the event.

Due to COVID-19 health measures, the race will unfortunately take place without spectators ! However ski fans will be able to follow the race live on RTS 2 from 19.30. For the detailed programme, see relevant section.

Photo and Video (in French only): Laurent Morel/SkiActu

Men’s Night Slalom – live on RTS2 !

21.11.2020 - After a detailed analysis of the Covid-19 situation, and as is the case for all World Cup races taking place in Switzerland this 2020/21 season, the men's night slalom by invitation, which will be held on Tuesday December 29th in Crans-Montana, will take place without the presence of spectators.

However ski fans will not miss the show provided by the world's best slalom racers. The Swiss French-speaking television channel, will broadcast the race live at 6.30 pm on RTSsport.ch and from 7.30 pm on RTS 2.

The total prize money is CHF 50,000: CHF 25,000 for first place, CHF 12,000 for second, CHF 7,000 for third, CHF 4,000 for fourth and CHF 2,000 for fifth.

DEPREZphoto sa, cransmontana

Men’s Night Slalom,
Tuesday 29 December 2020

14.05.2020 - The Men’s Night Slalom on 15 January 2020, organised by the Crans-Montana World Cup Organising Committee in close collaboration with the CMA ski lift company, was a great success. Both the guest world-class slalom skiers and the public, who came out in force to watch, were full of compliments. With this extremely positive feedback, it was decided that another edition would take place. The race is by invitation, and the elite in the discipline will be lining up at the start line on an ideal date, Tuesday 29 December 2020. As for the Crans-Montana slalom piste, it has convincingly demonstrated time and again that it is perfectly adapted to host the coveted World Championships.

season 2019-2020

A young wolf leading the pack

Clément Noël, a slalom giant under the stars in Crans-Montana

15.01.2020 - Like last year, Clément Noël was the victor in the second edition of the night exhibition slalom in Crans-Montana. The Frenchman finished in first place, followed by Ramon Zenhäusern and Marc Rochat.

Although the Swiss literally set the Mont Lachaux piste on fire on Wednesday, they had to relinquish the top place to a Frenchman. In fact for the second consecutive year, it was Clément Noël who took gold and the tidy sum of 20,000 francs of prize money in this exhibition slalom. Already in the lead after dominating the first heat, the 22 year old skier from the Vosges beat Ramon Zenhäusern by 0’’69 and Marc Rochat by 1’23’’. «This would be a really beautiful piste for the World Cup », said the French prodigy.

In front of a large crowd– some 4,000 spectators were present on the evening– the Swiss saw their best skiers do battle on a slalom piste that matched the most stunning stages in the winter season. Ramon Zenhäusern, who was supported by his friends and family, managed an impressive second round. «It really is extraordinary to be able to race in these conditions, exclaimed the local from Upper Valais. Plus I’m really happy with my result.»  

As for Marc Rochat, with his two solid races, he proved that he is now one of the best specialists in the world. The Vaud native from Crans-Montana chose his home resort on the Haut-Plateau, for his first podium place at this level.  Note that Daniel Yule and Tanguy Nef, who were battling for podium places,  lost out in the second race.  

A piste destined for a Men’s World Cup Night Slalom

Overall, this second Night Exhibition Slalom in Crans-Montana has been a very positive one. The new form of organisation, with the World Cup races Organising Committee working in close collaboration with the CMA ski lift company and Swiss-Ski, enabled a number of improvements to be brought to the event. Marius Robyr, president of the Organising Committee,  was very enthusiastic about the large number of fans present, around 4,000 people, and guests from the world of politics, economy and sport who came to applaud the ski aces. He praised the excellent preparation of the spectacular slalom piste, the attractive field, which consisted of a joyful mix of world class slalom skiers and young talents, and also the live broadcast on RSTSport and SRF2.

Most of the renowned athletes present were unanimous in saying that the Crans-Montana slalom piste deserved to be awarded a Men’s World Cup Night Slalom, remarks which will be considered in the Organising Committee’s future strategy. This slalom piste is one of the great positives in the Crans-Montana/Valais bid to organise the World Championships.

DEPREZphoto, cransmontana

Clément Noël/FRA winner for the second time.

Ramon Zenhäusern/SUI, second.

Marc Rochat/SUI, third.

Beautiful podium this second edition of the Slalom Nocturne Exhibition 2020.

Ramon Zenhäusern would like the slalom to go from exhibition to a World Cup race in Crans-Montana

14.01.2020 - The Valais local Ramon Zenhäusern (27 ) has worked long and hard for his slalom success stories. He has been training at professional level since the age of 12 years old. The 2m tall athlete from Viège sums it up, « Up until now in my career, I’ve always been moving forwards, sometimes only in small steps, but always forwards ». Ramon discovered skiing and grew to love it in Bürchen, the village where his parents own a chalet. His father Peter and his coach/mentor Didier Plaschy have always had unshakable belief in him.

His career really took off during the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang/South Korea, during which he won silver in the slalom and gold in the team race. During the 2018/19 season, he enjoyed the first World Cup slalom win of his career in Kranjska Gora/Slovenia, beating no less than Henrik Kristoffersen and Marcel Hirscher who were hot on his heels !

Ramon Zenhäusern has a total of 6 World Cup slalom podium places to his name today, including a second place this season in Zagreb, after flirting closely with victory and the title « king of the snow ». 

Video (in French only): Laurent Morel

Clément Noël : « I love the Exhibition Slalom formula, the piste and the public in Crans-Montana »

13.01.2020 - Frenchman Clément Noël had already left his parents, his brother and his village, Ménil, in the Vosges by the age of 15. It wasn’t possible for him to reach the goal that he’d fixed himself in the conditions there, the goal of becoming a competition skier. In summer, Clément Noël studied at school (CNSS) in Albertville, in winter, when there weren’t classes, he lived in Val d’Isère. When he finished school, he finally chose to live in the Olympic town of Albertville. It didn’t take long for this great talent to become one of the best slalom skiers on the planet.

He began his World Cup career in the 2017/18 season, competing in his first race in the major league in Levi/FIN. On 7 February 2018, he was crowned World Slalom Junior Champion in Davos. During the winter of 2018/19, he won the Slalom in Wengen, his 18th World Cup race,  then a week later he was back, winning at Kitzbühel. And as all things come in threes, he ended the season on the top step of the podium of the World Cup Slalom Finals at Soldeu. Clément Noël was also the winner of the first edition of the Crans-Montana Night Exhibition Slalom.

Success hasn’t changed Clément one bit. He remains an uncomplicated young man who knows exactly how to evaluate his performances, and impresses with his wisdom and calmness. His aim now is to also compete and excel in the Giant. After four podium places last season, he has already added three new ones : 2nd place in Levi, a win in Zagreb and 3rd place in Madonna di Campiglio.

Video (in French only): Laurent Morel/SkiActu

(in French only)

A regal stage for the Crans-Montana exhibition Night Slalom

12.01.2020 - Following on from Daniel Yule, Clément Noël, André Myhrer, Ramon Zenhäusern and Sebastian Foss Solevaag, five of the seven top slalom skiers in the world today will be competing to win on the Haut-Plateau this Wednesday evening, 15 January (17.15/19.15).

The line-up is something to smile about,  and with good reason! The two winners from the previous World Cup slaloms (Zagreb, Madonna di Campiglio and Adelboden) will be in Crans-Montana to take part in the second edition of the men’s night race on Wednesday 15 January. France’s Clément Noël (winner in Zagreb) and Daniel Yule (1^st in Madonna and Adelboden) have accepted the invitation from the organisers, led by Marius Robyr.

Clément Noël, currently the third best slalom racer in the world, will be looking to defend his title under the spotlights in the Valais resort, which is a candidate for the organisation of the 2025 World Championships. Daniel Yule, who is in full swing after his success in Madonna di Campiglio for the second year in a row and his great win in Adelboden, and currently second in the World Cup rankings in the discipline, is looking to make his mark. But the two men are not the only ones hoping to shine on the Haut-Plateau, as 5 of the 7 top specialists in the world will be lining up for the race.

How could we fail to mention Ramon Zenhäusern, who has been on superlative form for the   past few months. The Olympic vice-champion, who hails from Upper Valais, would also like to add his name to the prizewinners in this exhibition race, which will be broadcast on the RTSsport and SRF2 channels. Scandinavia will also be particularly well represented, with the Swedes André Myhrer, the Olympic champion, and Kristoffer Jakobsen as well as Norwegians Sebastian Foss Solevaag, Leif Kristian Nestvold-Haugen, Jonathan Nordbotten, Timon Haugan, and not forgetting the prodigy Lucas Braathen (19). Already in the line-up in Valais a year ago, Dave Ryding will be returning to Crans-Montana, as well the two French skiers, Français Julien Lizeroux and Théo Letitre.

As for the Swiss, Tanguy Nef is no doubt going to prove that he is now one of the top specialists in the world.  The skier from Geneva will be accompanied by Marc Rochat, Reto Schmidiger and Noël von Grünigen, son of the legendary Michael. Ten young talents of our country have the possibility to fight against the Cracks, what a challenge! – Admission is free, and food and drink is available on the evening from 16:30.

Daniel Yule : Quite a feat in Madonna and happy to be coming to Crans-Montana

8.01.2020 - With his fantastic performance at the World Cup Night Slalom at Madonna di Campiglio, Daniel Yule (26) managed to repeat his win from last season on the same piste. The Valais inhabitant with British roots – he lives in Branche d’en Haut, a village on the road to La Fouly – beat Henrik Kristoffersen NOR by 0.15 and Clément Noël FRA  by 0.25. Bravo, bravissimo ! He thus advances to the 3rd place in the current Slalom World Cup ranking behind... Henrik Kristofferson and Clément Noël.

With his two wins at Madonna di Campiglio, Yule has already enjoyed 7 podium places (5 x 3rd and 2 x 1st) in the Slalom World Cup. The next World Cup meet takes place next weekend in Adelboden, and after this we are delighted to be welcoming him back to Valais for the Night Exhibition Slalom on 15 January (1^st heat at 17.15/second at 19.15) in Crans-Montana. As for the Swiss, Ramon Zenhäusern will also be present (unfortunately eliminated in the 2^nd heat in Madonna), Tanguy Nef (an excellent sixth place, his best result in the World Cup) and Marc Rochat (a good 19^th place).

In our video (in French only) by Laurent Morel/SkiActu, Daniel Yule tells us that he believes it is a great idea to organise this Night Slalom in Crans-Montana, and he is delighted to be competing in this special race on his home territory.  

Marc Rochat : « Motivation for young ski fans »

5.01.2020 - For Marc Rochat (27), the Night Exhibition Slalom in Crans-Montana on Wednesday 15 January (17.15/19.15) is a dream opportunity to race at home. Thanks to his parents, who are both huge sports fans, the skier from Lausanne has often been able to follow his passion for skiing on the Valais Haut-Plateau pistes.

He was just two when he first put on skis, and at 15 he took part in his first FIS race. His progression was unfortunately slowed down due to several knee injuries.  Therefore in the meantime he concentrated on obtaining his federal matriculation certificate.

His best World Cup season to date was in 2017/18 , when he finished in sixth place in the Kranjska Gora slalom. He finished in 28^th place in the overall ranking for the discipline, and second in the European Cup. He topped it all with the title of Swiss slalom vice-champion, behind Ramon Zenhäusern.

Marc Rochat has much praise for the Crans-Montana slalom piste, which is wholly visible from the finish stadium. The local describes the Night Exhibition Slalom as excellent motivation for young people to become more familiar with skiing.

Video ( in French only): Laurent Morel/SkiActu

Luca Aerni : « An attractive meet for slalom specialists »

3.01.2020 - During the week that falls between the Adelboden and Wengen World Cup races, a host of slalom skiers from a variety of nations will be training in Crans-Montana.

On Wednesday 15 January, as part of this, a Night Exhibition Slalom will take place, with some of the best specialists in the world taking part, including two Swiss, Daniel Yule and Ramon Zenhäusern.

Luca Aerni, Crans-Montana ambassador, would have loved to take part too (see video). His absence is completely understandable: as a participant in the Alpine Combined on 17 January in Wengen, he has to take part in the scheduled Downhill training beforehand. In his opinion, this Exhibition Slalom is a great occasion for specialists in the discipline to demonstrate their skills in the two heats (17.15/19.15), taking it seriously, but to a degree in a relaxed manner, on the spectacular Crans- Montana slalom piste.

Admission is free! Food & drink will be available on the evening.

Further news about the experts that will be lining up on the Valais Haut-Plateau will follow up until 15 January.

Video (in French only) : Laurent Morel/SkiActu

Men’s Night Exhibition Slalom live on RTS SPORT and SRF SPORT

12.12.2019 - The Men’s Night Exhibition Slalom  on Wednesday 15 January in Crans-Montana, with some of the best slalom skiers in the world present, has taken on a brand new dimension. The Radio Télévision Suisse RTS, the official competent broadcaster of the World Cup races on the Valais Haut-Plateau, will also be producing a TV programme for the Men’s Night Slalom. The two runs (17.15/19.15) will be broadcast live on RTS Sport and SRF Sport. Other TV stations are also interested, but have not yet been confirmed. Thanks to the Organising Committee’s initiative, Crans-Montana’s slalom piste, which is fully visible from the finish stadium, will be illuminated with high quality temporary lighting, to meet the demands of television. Therefore this rendez-vous, featuring specialists in the discipline, scheduled between the Adelboden and Wengen World Cup races, will be transformed into a spectacular and exciting event. The winner will take away the cool sum of 20,000 francs.

Wednesday 15 January 2020: the world slalom elite in Crans-Montana

21.11.2019 - The second major World Cup meet of the 2019/20 season next weekend, in Levi/Finland, is an opportune moment to note the men’s night slalom display taking place on Wednesday 15 January 2020 in Crans-Montana. Between the renowned classic World Cup races in Adelboden and Wengen, some of the best slalom specialists in the world will be present on the Haut-Plateau to demonstrate their mastery on the spectacular Mont Lachaux/Nationale slope, which is visible in full from the finish stadium. After two heats (17:15/19:15), the winner will receive a cool CHF 20,000.00.

The Crans-Montana World Cup organisation committee are working to ensure that this slalom is an attractive and fascinating “aperitif“, with free access, prior to the Women’s European Cup races (14-16 February)  and the two World Cup races (22.02./Downhill and 23.02/Alpine Combined). – Our photo (Zoom agency): Daniel Yule and Loïc Meillard – two of the best Swiss skiers, who will probably be among the 30 slalom skiers selected for this night slalom. 

A men’s night slalom exhibition in addition to the 2020 World Cup and European Cup races

7.05.2019 - The women’s World Cup races 2020 in Crans-Montana, which include a Downhill (22 February) and an Alpine Combined (23.02), as well as the women's’ European Cup with two Downhills (14 and 15 February) and a Super-G (16 February), will be preceded by a rendez-vous with the men. On Wednesday 15 January 2020, between two Men’s World Cup races taking place in the Bernese Oberland, in Adelboden and Wengen, the Organisation Committee for the FIS Alpine Ski races in Crans-Montana will be organising two heats of a night slalom exhibition, in close collaboration with the CMA Ski Lift Company and Swiss-Ski.

30 of the best national and international slalom athletes will be invited to take part in this race, which will take place on the spectacular Mont Lachaux/Nationale slalom piste. The prize money will be 40,000 Swiss francs. Training sessions are planned for the day before the race that is planned for Wednesday 15 January. The organisers aim to offer ski fans a third major alpine competition in addition to the annual FIS World Cup and European Cup races. This slalom exhibition is also a full-scale test for night races, in view of the World Championships that Crans-Montana/Valais are aiming to host. It is worth noting that the first time this race was held in the Haut-Plateau region was on this same piste on 16 January 2019.

DEPREZphoto, cransmontana

An impressive podium for the first night slalom exhibition held in Crans-Montana in 2019 : 1st Clément Noël (FRA), 2nd Dave Ryding (GBR), 3rd Julien Lizeroux (FRA), 4th Andre Myhrer (SWE), 5th Marc Rochat (SWI).