Crans-Montana
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Crans-Montana, 27.01 → 08.02.1987

1987, the Swiss grand slam

Forty years ago the ski world came to Crans-Montana. It left with almost all the gold in Swiss hands: eight titles out of ten, all five for the women, and a one-two-three-four in the downhill.

1987

Crans-Montana 1987 · In numbers

  • 14/ 30

    Swiss medals out of 30

  • 8/ 10

    Swiss titles out of 10

  • 1-2-3-4

    Swiss in the top four places of the downhill

  • SG

    first super-G in World Championship history

31.01

Men's downhill podium

  1. Pirmin Zurbriggen

    SUI+0.33

    2

  2. Peter Müller

    SUI2:07.80

    1

  3. Karl Alpiger

    SUI+0.40

    3

31 January, four Swiss in front

Peter Müller wins the downhill ahead of Pirmin Zurbriggen and Karl Alpiger. Franz Heinzer finishes fourth, 14 hundredths off bronze: four Swiss in the top four places. The next day Maria Walliser beats Michela Figini for the women.

31 January: the Swiss one-two-three-four in the downhill ↗

The faces of 1987

  • 01

    Pirmin Zurbriggen, from the Upper Valais, wins four medals: gold in super-G and giant slalom, silver in downhill and combined.

  • 02

    Maria Walliser wins the downhill and the super-G, plus giant slalom bronze.

  • 03

    Erika Hess wins the slalom and the combined, her third world combined title after 1982 and 1985.

  • 04

    Vreni Schneider takes her first world title, in giant slalom.

  • 05

    Mateja Svet, 18, brings three medals home to Yugoslavia.

  • 06

    Alberto Tomba, 20, reaches his first world podium, in giant slalom.

Every podium

Winning times and gaps as published in the FIS results database. The combined of the time was ranked on points. Open each race to see the top 15.

10

Crans-Montana 1987 · Results

Combined, women

  1. 1Erika Hess SUI
  2. 2Sylvia Eder AUT
  3. 3Tamara McKinney USA

FIS ↗

Top 15
RankAthleteCode
1HESS ErikaSUI
2EDER SylviaAUT
3MCKINNEY TamaraUSA
4SCHNEIDER VreniSUI
5WACHTER AnitaAUT
6FIGINI MichelaSUI
7PERCY KarenCAN
8TWARDOKENS EvaUSA
9MILANOVA LudmillaTCH
10MEDZIHRADSKA LuciaSVK
11HURLER AngelikaFRG
12MEIER-HOECK ChristinaFRG
13DEDLER KarinFRG
14ORTLI BrigitteSUI
15MADSEN BethUSA

Names and codes as the FIS results database writes them. Combined ranked on points: FIS publishes no times.

Downhill, men

  1. 1Peter Müller SUI
  2. 2Pirmin Zurbriggen SUI+0.33
  3. 3Karl Alpiger SUI+0.40

2:07.80FIS ↗

Top 15
RankAthleteCodeTimeGap
1MULLER PeterSUI2:07.80
2ZURBRIGGEN PirminSUI2:08.13+0.33
3ALPIGER KarlSUI2:08.20+0.40
4HEINZER FranzSUI2:08.34+0.54
5BOYD RobCAN2:08.50+0.70
6MAHRER DanielSUI2:09.06+1.26
7GIRARDELLI MarcLUX2:09.11+1.31
8STOCK LeonardAUT2:09.18+1.38
9WASMEIER MarkusFRG2:09.21+1.41
10WILDGRUBER SeppFRG2:09.45+1.65
11VERNERET PhilippeFRA2:09.49+1.69
12PIANTANIDA GiorgioITA2:09.56+1.76
13GATTERMANN KlausFRG2:09.57+1.77
14HOFLEHNER HelmutAUT2:09.70+1.90
15SBARDELLOTTO DaniloITA2:09.95+2.15

Names and codes as the FIS results database writes them.

Combined, men

  1. 1Marc Girardelli LUX
  2. 2Pirmin Zurbriggen SUI
  3. 3Günther Mader AUT

FIS ↗

Top 15
RankAthleteCode
1GIRARDELLI MarcLUX
2ZURBRIGGEN PirminSUI
3MADER GuentherAUT
4GSTREIN BernhardAUT
5WASMEIER MarkusFRG
6SCHICK JosefFRG
7JAGGE Finn Chr.NOR
8STOCK LeonardAUT
9ERIKSSON Lars-BorjeSWE
10PICCARD FranckFRA
11THORSEN Jan EinarNOR
12SKAARDAL AtleNOR
13MCGRATH FelixUSA
14STEINER AntonAUT
15LEE StevenAUS

Names and codes as the FIS results database writes them. Combined ranked on points: FIS publishes no times.

Downhill, women

  1. 1Maria Walliser SUI
  2. 2Michela Figini SUI+0.31
  3. 3Regine Mösenlechner FRG+1.06

1:43.80FIS ↗

Top 15
RankAthleteCodeTimeGap
1WALLISER MariaSUI1:43.80
2FIGINI MichelaSUI1:44.11+0.31
3MOESENLECHNER RegineFRG1:44.86+1.06
4KIEHL MarinaFRG1:45.06+1.26
5GRAHAM LaurieCAN1:45.10+1.30
6EDER SylviaAUT1:45.31+1.51
7HESS ErikaSUI1:45.44+1.64
8GERG-LEITNER MichaelaFRG1:45.75+1.95
9QUITTET CatherineFRA1:45.78+1.98
10PERCY KarenCAN1:45.90+2.10
11HAAS ZoeSUI1:45.98+2.18
12DEDLER KarinFRG1:46.15+2.35
13ARMSTRONG DebbieUSA1:46.20+2.40
14ZURBRIGGEN HeidiSUI1:46.42+2.62
15WOLF SigridAUT1:46.47+2.67

Names and codes as the FIS results database writes them.

Super-G, men

  1. 1Pirmin Zurbriggen SUI
  2. 2Marc Girardelli LUX+0.87
  3. 3Markus Wasmeier FRG+1.15

1:19.93FIS ↗

Top 15
RankAthleteCodeTimeGap
1ZURBRIGGEN PirminSUI1:19.93
2GIRARDELLI MarcLUX1:20.80+0.87
3WASMEIER MarkusFRG1:21.08+1.15
4STOCK LeonardAUT1:21.28+1.35
5STROLZ HubertAUT1:21.44+1.51
6ERLACHER RobertoITA1:21.83+1.90
7NIERLICH RudolfAUT1:22.20+2.27
8EDER MichaelFRG1:22.30+2.37
9MARXER GuentherLIE1:22.44+2.51
10PICCARD FranckFRA1:22.51+2.58
11PRAMOTTON RichardITA1:22.56+2.63
12RENOTH HerbertFRG1:22.63+2.70
13MADER GuentherAUT1:22.74+2.81
14CIZMAN TomazJUG1:22.91+2.98
14TOMBA AlbertoITA1:22.91+2.98

Names and codes as the FIS results database writes them.

Super-G, women

  1. 1Maria Walliser SUI
  2. 2Michela Figini SUI+1.01
  3. 3Mateja Svet JUG+1.06

1:19.17FIS ↗

Top 15
RankAthleteCodeTimeGap
1WALLISER MariaSUI1:19.17
2FIGINI MichelaSUI1:20.18+1.01
3SVET MatejaJUG1:20.23+1.06
4SCHNEIDER VreniSUI1:20.25+1.08
5EDER SylviaAUT1:20.65+1.48
6ARMSTRONG DebbieUSA1:21.07+1.90
7WOLF SigridAUT1:21.39+2.22
8GERG-LEITNER MichaelaFRG1:21.40+2.23
9ORTLI BrigitteSUI1:21.72+2.55
10FERNANDEZ-OCHOA BlancaESP1:21.73+2.56
11GRAHAM LaurieCAN1:21.77+2.60
12MERLE CaroleFRA1:22.23+3.06
13HAECHER GAVET TraudlFRG1:22.27+3.10
14MOESENLECHNER RegineFRG1:22.35+3.18
14TWARDOKENS EvaUSA1:22.35+3.18

Names and codes as the FIS results database writes them.

Giant slalom, men

  1. 1Pirmin Zurbriggen SUI
  2. 2Marc Girardelli LUX+0.07
  3. 3Alberto Tomba ITA+0.75

2:32.38FIS ↗

Top 15
RankAthleteCodeTimeGap
1ZURBRIGGEN PirminSUI2:32.38
2GIRARDELLI MarcLUX2:32.45+0.07
3TOMBA AlbertoITA2:33.13+0.75
4STROLZ HubertAUT2:33.21+0.83
5STUFFER HansFRG2:34.27+1.89
6EDER MichaelFRG2:34.30+1.92
7WORNDL FrankFRG2:34.44+2.06
8PIEREN HansSUI2:34.46+2.08
9TOTSCH OswaldITA*
10STENMARK IngemarSWE2:34.69+2.31
11ERLACHER RobertoITA2:34.77+2.39
12PETROVIC RokJUG2:34.96+2.58
13WASMEIER MarkusFRG2:35.11+2.73
14GSTREIN BernhardAUT2:35.88+3.50
15NAMBERGER PeterFRG2:36.86+4.48

Names and codes as the FIS results database writes them. * time not shown: the FIS page gives an inconsistent value for this rank.

Giant slalom, women

  1. 1Vreni Schneider SUI
  2. 2Mateja Svet JUG+0.56
  3. 3Maria Walliser SUI+2.29

2:21.22FIS ↗

Top 15
RankAthleteCodeTimeGap
1SCHNEIDER VreniSUI2:21.22
2SVET MatejaJUG2:21.78+0.56
3WALLISER MariaSUI2:23.51+2.29
4FIGINI MichelaSUI2:23.77+2.55
5FERNANDEZ-OCHOA BlancaESP2:23.88+2.66
6KIEHL MarinaFRG2:23.92+2.70
7MOGORE-TLALKA MalgorzataFRA2:23.97+2.75
8NILSSON CamillaSWE2:24.16+2.94
9QUITTET CatherineFRA2:24.22+3.00
10GERG-LEITNER MichaelaFRG2:24.42+3.20
11ORTLI BrigitteSUI2:24.67+3.45
12GLASSER-BJERNER CatharinaSWE2:24.68+3.46
13TWARDOKENS EvaUSA2:24.83+3.61
14STOTZ KatrinFRG2:25.05+3.83
15MERLE CaroleFRA2:25.29+4.07

Names and codes as the FIS results database writes them.

Slalom, women

  1. 1Erika Hess SUI
  2. 2Roswitha Steiner AUT+0.25
  3. 3Mateja Svet JUG+1.09

1:33.30FIS ↗

Top 15
RankAthleteCodeTimeGap
1HESS ErikaSUI1:33.30
2STEINER RoswithaAUT1:33.55+0.25
3SVET MatejaJUG1:34.39+1.09
4BUDER KarinAUT1:34.68+1.38
5FERNANDEZ-OCHOA BlancaESP1:35.05+1.75
6MOGORE-TLALKA MalgorzataFRA1:35.19+1.89
7LAZAK HelgaFRG1:35.27+1.97
8MOGORE-TLALKA DorotaFRA1:35.41+2.11
9TWARDOKENS EvaUSA1:35.59+2.29
10BECK LesleyGBR1:35.90+2.60
11MEDZIHRADSKA LuciaSVK1:37.13+3.83
12KEBROLOVA LenkaTCH1:37.19+3.89
13GUIGNARD ChristelleFRA1:38.25+4.95
14LESKOVSEK AndrejaJUG1:39.31+6.01
15KINDLE JolandaLIE1:39.73+6.43

Names and codes as the FIS results database writes them.

Slalom, men

  1. 1Frank Wörndl FRG
  2. 2Günther Mader AUT+0.19
  3. 3Armin Bittner FRG+0.40

1:54.63FIS ↗

Top 15
RankAthleteCodeTimeGap
1WORNDL FrankFRG1:54.63
2MADER GuentherAUT1:54.82+0.19
3BITTNER ArminFRG1:55.03+0.40
4GIRARDELLI MarcLUX1:55.11+0.48
5STENMARK IngemarSWE1:55.60+0.97
6KRIZAJ BojanJUG1:55.69+1.06
7DELEZE Jean-DanielSUI1:55.78+1.15
7GASPOZ JoelSUI1:55.78+1.15
9FROMMELT PaulLIE1:56.13+1.50
10MCGRATH FelixUSA1:56.29+1.66
11TOTSCH OswaldITA1:56.41+1.78
12EDALINI IvanoITA1:56.52+1.89
13BOUVET DidierFRA1:56.54+1.91
14BENEDIK GregaJUG1:56.57+1.94
15PETROVIC RokJUG1:57.71+3.08

Names and codes as the FIS results database writes them.

Medal table

Worked out from the ten podiums in the FIS database.

NationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
Switzerland SUI84214
Luxembourg LUX1203
West Germany FRG1034
Austria AUT0314
Yugoslavia JUG0123
United States USA0011
Italy ITA0011

Watch 1987 again

The footage belongs to RTS, Swiss public television: we link to its archives, where it is free to watch.

A Swiss Army air display during the women's World Cup in Crans-Montana, 23 February 2020

A Swiss Army air display during the women's World Cup in Crans-Montana, 23 February 2020. Photo: Paolo Gamba from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

19872027

1987 / 2027, the same finish

In 2027 the finish line stays put: the Nationale and the Mont Lachaux still end at the Barzettes stadium. It has been their shared finish since the resort's first World Cup, in 1977.

1,545 m

The 2027 schedule →

Coming to the Journal

1987 / 2027, the series

We are gathering memories from people who lived these Worlds, on the slope, behind the scenes or in front of their TV. The interviews will appear in the Journal, read and approved by each person interviewed.

The Worlds journal →

1987

The quiz

Five questions, every answer is on this page.

Question 01 of 05How many of the 30 medals does Switzerland win in 1987?

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Photo credits

  1. 01

    A Swiss Army air display during the women's World Cup in Crans-Montana, 23 February 2020. Photo: Paolo Gamba from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Sources

  1. 01FIS, World Championships Crans-Montana 1987, results (opens in a new tab)
  2. 02Crans-Montana 2027, 1987 World Championships (opens in a new tab)
  3. 03FIS, Alpine World Ski Championships, every edition (opens in a new tab)
  4. 04RTS Archives, Crans-Montana 1987, le triomphe du ski suisse (opens in a new tab)
  5. 05The Christian Science Monitor, Swiss skiers, 10 February 1987 (opens in a new tab)
  6. 06The slopes (organiser) (opens in a new tab)

Checked on 28 October 2026. Independent guide, not affiliated with the organiser or FIS.