The countdown to the 84th Lauberhorn World Cup ski races is well under way. Preparations for the races, which take place on January 17 (super combination of truncated downhill and a slalom), January 18 (the longest downhill race on the circuit) and January 19 (slalom) is proceeding apace and the World Cup village in the centre of Wengen is taking shape by the minute.
The only slight concern I have relates, as so often it does, to the weather. It is unseasonally warm here in Wengen and there is very little snow on the ground in resort. It feels more like spring than mid-winter and there is little or no new snow forecast over the next few days. The organising committee have worked wonders in the past; I suspect this year could test them to the limit.
One personal landmark is the planned retiral of Viktor Gertsch as race president. This will be his 44th race in the role, which he took over from his father who handled the first 40 (the first running took place in 1930).
Mr Gertsch is not bowing out of the local skiing scene entirely; in 2013 he became the honorary president of Wengen's Downhill Only Club, created by British skiers in 1925 and still going strong today, welcoming skiers and non-skiers to social events at its club house in the former Eiger Hotel next to Wengen rail station.
