For 22 years, the sun has been shining in La Grave on April 2. Good karma for one of the most legendary Derby races in the world. And this year, Peter and Mother Hulda made common cause and sent half a meter of fresh snow to the front of the Bluebird on race day. The Meije - the mountain of the race - shines in a fresh, white dress with the faces of the thousands of race participants who have arrived.
Many participants have already been here for a few days and have already skied some of the fantastic powder lines in the best conditions and made friends over a beer in one of the nice bars in the evening. New and old acquaintances meet at dawn on race day at the valley station of the cable car, just a few meters below the center of the legendary mountaineering village of La Grave. Bearded big mountain veterans with 237 cm custom wallowtail snowboards stand in their ducttape-patched outfits next to new-school freeskiers in flashy high-end overalls with the latest rocker powder boards in their hands. Former downhill pros talk to soul surfers about the best line choice.
Colorful, flashy, dressed up or freaky...
Many have dressed up or are competing as racing teams in outfits specially made for the derby: Whether as trees, bees or nurses: there are no limits to the dressing-up fantasies; also when it comes to the choice of sports equipment. In addition to skis, boards and monoskis, a wide variety of skibob constructions also make their way to the gondola entrance. There is even a mountain biker at the start. There are no stars here, only riders - as the print on one of the participants' pullovers proclaims. And the mood is exactly the same. An atmosphere of excited anticipation mixed with the smell of residual alcohol and marijuana hangs in the air over the waiting crowd and although nobody can wait to finally get up the mountain, nobody is pushing. And yet the key details of the upcoming race are anything but relaxing. The start is on the glacier (Dome de La Lauze) at an altitude of 3550 m, the finish at 1400 m and everyone is free to choose their own route. The aim is to cover the almost 2200 meters of altitude difference in the off-piste terrain as quickly as possible. The course record set by Nicolas Anthonioz just last year is an incredible five minutes and 29 seconds.
Helmcam video of the winner of the 2009 Derby de la Meije
Out of 1000 starters, 959 reach the finish
The race starts in blocks of ten every minute, with the starting order drawn by lot. A starting position around 200 is considered optimal, as the track is already run in by then and the moguls that inevitably occur due to the large number of riders are still easy to master. In addition to a good choice of line, luck is therefore also a decisive factor for success. Ambitious racers chase down the mountain together with costumed fun riders in a wild chase and chaos is inevitable. Just don't make any turns and somehow survive the next steep section is the motto. Many master it with aplomb, but a few overestimates detonate in large clouds of snow and people and equipment fly through the air in a high arc. Most recover, collect their lost equipment and race on towards the finish line, cheered on by the spectators - or until the next fall. Surprisingly, 959 of the 1000 starters reach the finish line. Nicolas Anthonioz wins again in the men's ski race, but at 5'54'' is unable to improve on his record from the previous year. Sovrana Welf won the women's ski race in an impressive 8'25'', Michel Raynaud won the women's snowboard race in 9'22'' and Anouck Mouthon won the women's snowboard race in 11'35''. The remaining results can be viewed here.
The whole village celebrates
The late afternoon and evening are dedicated to a big communal celebration in which the whole village takes part. There are concerts everywhere, performances and a festive award ceremony in the circus tent, where the true essence of this event is once again expressed: a big party with friends in the mountains: the Derby de La Meije: a kind of carnival in the snow! Text: Jan Sallawitz | Photos: Baschi Bender
