Roland Collombin
Encyclopedia
Roland Collombin 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....

) is a former champion alpine ski racer
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...

, a two-time World Cup downhill champion.

Collombin made his first World Cup top ten finish at age 20 in December 1971 with a seventh place in the downhill at Val-d'Isère, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

. Two months later, he won the silver medal in the downhill at the 1972 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1972 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1972 Winter Olympics consisted of six events, held near Sapporo, Japan, from February 5–13, 1972. The downhills were held at Mount Eniwa, and the four technical events at Teine.-Downhill:February 7, 1972...

 at Sapporo, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, finishing behind countryman Bernhard Russi
Bernhard Russi
Bernhard Russi is a former alpine ski racer. He was an Olympic, World Cup, and World champion in the downhill event....

.

He dominated the event the next two World Cup seasons, 1973
1973 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 7th World Cup season began in December 1972 in France and concluded in March 1973 in the United States. Gustav Thöni of Italy won his third consecutive overall title and Annemarie Pröll of Austria won the women's overall title, her third of five consecutive....

 and 1974
1974 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 8th World Cup season began in December 1973 and concluded in March 1974. Piero Gros of Italy won the overall title, denying the runner-up, countryman Gustav Thöni, of a fourth straight overall title. Annemarie Pröll of Austria won the women's overall title, her fourth of five consecutive.The...

, and won the World Cup season titles in downhill.

In January 1974
1974 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 8th World Cup season began in December 1973 and concluded in March 1974. Piero Gros of Italy won the overall title, denying the runner-up, countryman Gustav Thöni, of a fourth straight overall title. Annemarie Pröll of Austria won the women's overall title, her fourth of five consecutive.The...

, Collombin won the month's four downhills in consecutive weeks, which included the two classics: the Lauberhorn
Lauberhorn
The Lauberhorn is a mountain in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland, located between Wengen and Grindelwald. Its summit is at an elevation of 8110 feet above sea level....

 at Wengen
Wengen
Wengen may refer to:*Wengen, a village and winter resort in Switzerland*La Val, a commune in South Tyrol, Italy with the German name "Wengen"*in Germany:**Wengen , a village in the municipality of Nennslingen in Mittelfranken...

, Switzerland, and the Hahnenkamm
Hahnenkamm, Kitzbühel
The Hahnenkamm is a mountain in Austria, directly south of Kitzbühel, in the Kitzbühel Alps. The elevation of its summit is above sea level.The Hahnenkamm is part of the ski resort of Kitzbühel, and hosts the annual World Cup alpine ski races, the Hahnenkammrennen...

 at Kitzbühel
Kitzbühel
-Demographic evolution:-Personalities:*Karl Wilhelm von Dalla Torre , entomologist and botanist*Alfons Walde , expressionist painter and architect*Peter Aufschnaiter , mountaineer and geographer...

, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

. Collombin had finished second in the previous two downhills in December 1973 for six consecutive downhill podiums.

In early December 1974
1975 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 9th World Cup season began in December 1974 in France and concluded in March 1975 in Italy. Gustav Thöni of Italy would regain the overall title, his fourth overall title in five seasons...

, Collombin fell in a training run at the Val-d'Isère downhill, and unfortunately broke his back, ending his 1975 season
1975 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 9th World Cup season began in December 1974 in France and concluded in March 1975 in Italy. Gustav Thöni of Italy would regain the overall title, his fourth overall title in five seasons...

. Franz Klammer
Franz Klammer
Franz Klammer is a former champion alpine ski racer. Klammer overwhelmingly dominated the downhill event for four consecutive World Cup seasons . He was the gold medalist at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, winning the downhill at Patscherkofel in dramatic fashion...

 of Austria went on to win the race, the second of his young career. Klammer had finished immediately behind Collombin in a number of races during the 1974 season. After Collumbin's injury, Klammer went on to dominate the downhill event for four consecutive World Cup seasons, and took the gold medal in the downhill at the 1976 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1976 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1976 Winter Olympics consisted of six events, held near Innsbruck, Austria, from February 5–13, 1976.Similar to the 1964 games, the men's downhill was held on Patscherkofel , the other five events at Axamer Lizum....

 in Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...

, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

.

Collombin attempted a comeback in December 1975
1976 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 10th World Cup season began in December 1975 in France and concluded in March 1976 in Canada. Ingemar Stenmark of Sweden won the first of his three consecutive overall titles...

 at Val-d'Isère, but fell at the same jump as the year before and broke two vertebrae, ending his career. He finished his World Cup career with eight victories and three second place finishes, all in downhill.

Collumbin and his wife Sarah operate a guest house
Guest house
A guest house is a kind of lodging. In some parts of the world a guest house is similar to a hostel, bed and breakfast, or inn whereas in other parts of the world , guest houses are a type of inexpensive hotel-like lodging...

 in Versegères, and Collumbin also has a product line of wines.

Season titles

SeasonDiscipline
1973
1973 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 7th World Cup season began in December 1972 in France and concluded in March 1973 in the United States. Gustav Thöni of Italy won his third consecutive overall title and Annemarie Pröll of Austria won the women's overall title, her third of five consecutive....

Downhill
1974
1974 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 8th World Cup season began in December 1973 and concluded in March 1974. Piero Gros of Italy won the overall title, denying the runner-up, countryman Gustav Thöni, of a fourth straight overall title. Annemarie Pröll of Austria won the women's overall title, her fourth of five consecutive.The...

Downhill

Top Ten Finishes

Season Date Location Race Place
1972
1972 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 6th World Cup season began in December 1971 in Switzerland and concluded in March 1972 in France. Gustav Thöni of Italy won his second of three consecutive overall titles...

12 Dec 1971   Val-d'Isère, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 
Downhill  7th
15 Jan 1972   Kitzbühel
Hahnenkamm, Kitzbühel
The Hahnenkamm is a mountain in Austria, directly south of Kitzbühel, in the Kitzbühel Alps. The elevation of its summit is above sea level.The Hahnenkamm is part of the ski resort of Kitzbühel, and hosts the annual World Cup alpine ski races, the Hahnenkammrennen...

, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

 
Downhill 7th
  1972 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1972 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1972 Winter Olympics consisted of six events, held near Sapporo, Japan, from February 5–13, 1972. The downhills were held at Mount Eniwa, and the four technical events at Teine.-Downhill:February 7, 1972...

1973
1973 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 7th World Cup season began in December 1972 in France and concluded in March 1973 in the United States. Gustav Thöni of Italy won his third consecutive overall title and Annemarie Pröll of Austria won the women's overall title, her third of five consecutive....

10 Dec 1972   Val-d'Isère, France Downhill 4th
15 Dec 1972   Val Gardena, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 
Downhill 1st
06 Jan 1973   Garmisch
Garmisch Classic
Garmisch Classic is an alpine ski resort in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany. The resort is in the Bavarian Alps, and its maximum elevation is 6726 feet above sea level, with a vertical drop of 4429 feet...

, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....

 
Downhill 1st
07 Jan 1973 Downhill 1st
13 Jan 1973   Grindelwald
Grindelwald
Grindelwald is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. The village is located at above sea level in the Bernese Alps.-Winter sports:...

, Switzerland
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....

 
Downhill 2nd
27 Jan 1973   Kitzbühel, Austria Downhill 1st
1974
1974 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 8th World Cup season began in December 1973 and concluded in March 1974. Piero Gros of Italy won the overall title, denying the runner-up, countryman Gustav Thöni, of a fourth straight overall title. Annemarie Pröll of Austria won the women's overall title, her fourth of five consecutive.The...

18 Dec 1973   Zell am See
Zell am See
Zell am See is the capital city of the Zell am See district in the Austrian state of Salzburg. The city has about 10,000 inhabitants.Zell am See is a tourist destination and a transportation hub for the region...

, Austria
Downhill 2nd
22 Dec 1973   Schladming
Schladming
Schladming is a small mining town in the Austrian state of Styria, that is now very popular with tourists. It has become a large ski resort and has held various skiing competitions recently. The shopping area has lots of cafes, restaurant and a variety of shops and caters well for tourists.As of...

, Austria
Downhill 2nd
06 Jan 1974   Garmisch, West Germany Downhill 1st
12 Jan 1974   Avoriaz
Avoriaz
Avoriaz is a French mountain resort in the heart of the Portes du Soleil. It is located in the territory of the commune of Morzine. It is easily accessible from either Thonon at Lake Geneva or Cluses-junction on the A40 motorway between Geneva and Chamonix...

, France
Downhill 1st
19 Jan 1974   Wengen
Lauberhorn
The Lauberhorn is a mountain in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland, located between Wengen and Grindelwald. Its summit is at an elevation of 8110 feet above sea level....

, Switzerland
Downhill 1st
26 Jan 1974   Kitzbühel, Austria Downhill 1st

External links

  • FIS-Ski.com - Top Ten results - Roland Collombin
  • FIS-ski.com - World Cup season standings - Roland Collombin - 1972-74
  • Ski-db.com - results - Roland Collombin
  • Roland Collumbin.ch - photo gallery
  • YouTube video - Roland Collombin - penultimate victory - Wengen
    Lauberhorn
    The Lauberhorn is a mountain in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland, located between Wengen and Grindelwald. Its summit is at an elevation of 8110 feet above sea level....

     - 19-Jan-1974
    1974 Alpine Skiing World Cup
    The 8th World Cup season began in December 1973 and concluded in March 1974. Piero Gros of Italy won the overall title, denying the runner-up, countryman Gustav Thöni, of a fourth straight overall title. Annemarie Pröll of Austria won the women's overall title, her fourth of five consecutive.The...

  • YouTube video - Albrecht
    Daniel Albrecht
    Daniel Albrecht is a champion alpine ski racer. He has four World Cup race victories and a world championship.Albrecht made his World Cup debut at age 19 in January 2003 in a slalom at Schladming, Austria....

     vs. Collombin - career ending crashes of two Swiss downhillers - (Jan 2009 vs Dec 1975)
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