Arnold Andenmatten from Saas-Fee

Saas-Fee

Saas-Fee is the main village in the Saastal, or the Saas Valley, and is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland...

 is a Swiss

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

 skier and skiing instructor.

Biography

Andenmatten was winner of the first classical glacier downhill skiing from the Allalinhorn

Allalinhorn

The Allalinhorn is a mountain in the Mischabelhörner group of the Pennine Alps in Switzerland. It lies west of Saas-Fee in the canton of Valais....

 down to Saas-Fee in 1946 (time: 8:07 min.). As a soldier he participated in the demonstration event, military patrol

Military patrol

Military patrol is a team winter sport in which athletes compete in both cross-country skiing respectively ski mountaineering, and rifle shooting. It is usually contested between countries or military units. Biathlon was developed from military patrol....

. He had the military rank of a Kanonier

Cannoneer

"Cannoneer" is a word for an artillery gunner, first recorded in the 16th century. Current titles for a Soldier in the 13B career field within the US Army is "Cannon Crewmember", but more commonly referred to by the shorter "Cannoneer"...

 at this time. His Swiss team finished first in the military patrol event

Military patrol at the 1948 Winter Olympics

At the 1948 Winter Olympics, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, in 1948, the last military patrol competition was held as a demonstration sport. This was in part to the aftermath of World War II, which decimated Europe. This sport would be superseded by the biathlon competition which debuted at the 1960...

. In 1947 he, Robert Zurbriggen

Robert Zurbriggen

Robert Zurbriggen was a Swiss cross-country skier and biathlete who competed in the 1948 Winter Olympics....

, Karl Hischier

Karl Hischier

Karl Hischier was a Swiss cross country skier who competed in the 1950s. He finished 17th in the 50 km event at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo. He lives in Obergoms.-External links:*...

 and Karl Bricker

Karl Bricker

Karl Bricker was a Swiss cross country skier who competed in the 1940s and in the 1950s.In 1948 he finished 41st in the 18 km competition....

 also won the revenge race in Oslo

Oslo

Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...

.

He still participates in ski races, for example as the eldest competitor of the Saas-Balen

Saas-Balen

Saas-Balen is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It lies at the foot of the Mischabelhörner and Dom.-Geography:...

valley race on February 17, 2008.