UNITED STATES: SWISS TEAM OF IWAN FLORINER AND ROGER SIEBER WIN 24 HOURS OF ASPEN DOWNHILL SKI RACE

Record ID: 337550

  • Title: UNITED STATES: SWISS TEAM OF IWAN FLORINER AND ROGER SIEBER WIN 24 HOURS OF ASPEN DOWNHILL SKI RACE
  • Date: 13th December 1997
  • Summary: ASPEN, COLORADO, UNITED STATES (RTV - ACCESS ALL) (DECEMBER 13, 1997) 1. ASPEN MOUNTAIN SLOPE 2. SWISS MEN'S TEAM STARTING 3. TEAM ARGENTINA STARTING 4. USA WOMEN ON COURSE 5. SWISS MEN ENTERING THE GONDOLA AREA 6. SKI PREPARATION AREA AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN 7. JOHN TERRY, SKI WAXER, SAYING YOU GET INTO THE
  • Embargoed: 28th December 1997 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ASPEN, COLORADO, UNITED STATES
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVAUO7DML33N8PKRZOSBP8661KM
  • Story Text: INTRO: The Swiss team of Iwan Floriner and Roger Sieber captured the gruelling 24 Hours of Aspen race in Colorado. The race is billed as the toughest downhill in the world.

    Extreme skiiers from seven countries battled fatigue, cold and pain on Sunday (December 14) in the tenth annual 24 Hours of Aspen race. In the end, it was the Swiss team of Iwan Florinet and Roger Sieber who raised the trophy and were declared "the world's toughest skiiers." The race consists of two-man teams who ski together for 24 hours straight, drafting one another and skiing as a pair at all times. Racers hit speeds in excess of 90 miles per hour (145 kilometers per hour) on the icy slopes of Aspen Mountain.

    Florinet and Sieber also set a new course record of 2:11:69 on their third of 80 laps. In second place was the Canadian team of John Mealey and Ian Sullivan,three minutes behind the winners. The U.S. team of Tyler Williams and Pete McBride finished third, four minutes and 20 seconds behind the Swiss.

    Two women's teams were entered in this year's race, with the American women finishing in sixth place and the German women finishing in seventh.

    Three teams ---from Germany, Chile, and Italy --- were unable to finish the race due to fatigue and injuries.

    Chilean team member Rainer Grob crashed on the 29th lap early on Saturday evening and fractured an arm.

    Proceeds from the event helped rase nearly 500,000 US dollars for local charities. The Swiss team donated their 5,000 US dollar purse to a children's charity in Davos, Switzerland.


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