Winter Sports in Switzerland
(Brigadier-General J. B. Wroughlon,, C.B., C.M.G., is the Editor of:" The Whiter Sports-Annual"- (Cieit Palmer, is.), a- publication that we cordially -recommend to our readers.) WINTER Sports in Switzerland—to many these words represent an annual holiday, shortly to be enjoyed once more, for which they have been longing all the year. A far greater number may ask " What are Winter Sports ?" and " Why in Switzerland " To a ski-runner there is Only one sport—ski-ing-but a considerable number of winter sportsmen do go out for skating, curling and tobogganing and it was these sports that first took English people abroad to the few places in the mountains, where hotels then remained open in winter. About twenty-five years ago, these hotels catered for those who went in search of health, and when they found it, they joined their younger relations and friends in their winter pastimes.
Nowadays hotels are opened in winter to house the thousands who go out solely for the sports. Over 22,000 Swiss winter sports people were carried by the Southern Railway last season, and this number may well be exceeded in the coining months. To accommodate this rush there are some thirty-five places-in Switzerland (that is the number of resorts I visited last winter). These vary in size from one hotel places to villages with thirty hotels and beds for 6,000 visitors, and at most of these places, the sign HOUSE FULL might have been disPlayed last Christmas holidays. • This striking increase in the popularity of winter sports is due, in no small measure, to British enterprise. Our tourist agencies have not only made the journey easy for the sportsman, but they are responsiblefor iriaugniating the system, now almost universal', of lo6king-after 'tin{ when he ruches his destination, so that he can start his sport without delay. Instructors are there to take him by the hand and give him good advice on snow and ice.
Not only is it our enterprise, but it is the presence of Britons that means such a lot. The following remark explains this; it was made to me, two years ago, at a resort opened then for the first time in winter. Said the principal Swiss h6telier ; "We want to get English visitors:; -we-can fill our hotels with Continental ones easily enough; but the place will never get known as a sports resort if your countrymen and women do not come." We have been called a nation of -shopkeepers; that we are also sportsmen is well kriown to others, though perhaps not always openly admitted: - Englishmen also took a very important part in introducing ski-ing to the Alpi and in organizing the sport. The ski-ing 'tests of the Ski Club of Great Britain are both sound in prin- ciple and encourage the novice in his efforts.
-- Curling is to be had at most places, and the Swiss themselves are keen on the game and have made great strides of late !years. The rinks are really wonderful, such care and attention is given to get the surface perfect. Looking down from the hillside they appear to reflect the sun like mirrors. Similarly • the skating rinks leave nothing to be desired and a scratch • game of ice hoCkey is always great fun, while the very best :teams visit the principal resorts and I know of no other game so exciting to watch.
Tobogganing is done everywhere. The beginner can start :right away on the road snow rims, and when more proficient c he moves on to the prepared runs, where the banks are built .with the greatest care and the pace becomes exciting. Swinging !round the bends, running ten feet and more up the banks, :he gets all the thrills he wants. • Perhaps the greatest charm about ski-ing is that the runner has a constant change of scenery, and though it is the same sun and the.same blue sky that other sportsmen see, somehow both appear 'to' be more brilliant and' more enjoyable when at the top' of a mountain one contemplates the excitement 'of the run-dotyn.
Change is necessary to make the perfect holiday, and that is -found in Switzerland. I started this article by asking "Why in Switzerland ? " I have greatly -enjoyed winter sports in 'other countries and hope to do so again, but the advantage that Switzerland has over other 'countries is that they have 'trained a body of hotel managers that cannot be beaten. '_On his arrival the visitor is greeted as in no other country, 'and the manager of even the largest ." palace " hotel is not 'too big a man to give his personal attention to an individual 'visitor. I have been-told so often, I really believe it now, that Britons are especially Welcomed ; we mitTiiot-sPend as much money as other nationals, but given fine weather and plenty of sport, we are satisfied and cheery.
I am often asked, which is the best place ? To this I always reply that there is no such place, it depends on what the questioner desires, and a good deal on his capacity* for enjoy- ment. It is a matter of opinion, and there will never be unanimity on this subject; Sport and enjoyment can be found at every real winter resort, and I have -yet to meet someone who having once taken a holiday of winter sports has not yearned to repeat it. J. B. Witououros.
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