Portrait & History

Cross-country skiing tradition in the Engadin

The Engadin Skimarathon is one of the most important popular sports events in the country and a popular meeting place for the world elite.

The "Engadiner" is the largest cross-country skiing event in Switzerland and the second largest in the world. In addition, the Engadin Skimarathon is a member of Worldloppet, Swiss Loppet and Russialoppet.

Already seven years after the first edition in 1969, the number of participants exceeded the limit of tens of thousands for the first time in 1976. Today, around 14,000 participants from over 60 nations take part in the cross-country skiing experience in the Upper Engadine each year. At the 50th edition in 2018, the registration had to be closed after 14,200 participants for the first time in history.

Discover the detailed marathon history and other exciting reports:
Media

The first Engadin Skimarathon took place on 16 March 1969 - with 945 participants. At the 8th Engadin Skimarathon more than 10'000 cross-country enthusiasts were already at the start.

Marathon week

The marathon week is opened by the youth sprint on the Saturday before the Engadin Women's Race. The Engadin Women's Race takes place on the 1st Sunday in March. An integral part is also the Engadin Night Race on Thursday evening. The highlight of the marathon week is the Marathon Sunday with the 42 km long Engadin Skimarathon and the 21 km long Engadin Half Marathon. The marathon week comes to an end with the traditional Marathon-Party  in the finish area.

Organisation

The Engadin Skimarathon is an association. Its members are the eleven Skiclubs Maloja, Sils, Corvatsch-Silvaplana, Suvretta-Champfèr, Alpina St. Moritz, Trais Fluors Celerina, Bernina-Pontresina, Piz Ot Samedan, La Punt, Zuoz and Sarsura Zernez. The Executive Board is responsible for the strategic decisions of the Engadin Skimarathon, while the Management is responsible for the operational activities. The organizing committee (OC) consists of around 90 members. During the Engadin Skimarathon, around 1,200 helpers are on duty.

Strategy Engadin Skimarathon

Executive Board

Urs Pfister
President

Beat Gruber
Vice-President

Andi Grünenfelder
Member of the board

Vic Jacob
Member of the board

Jürg Capol
Member of the board

Management

Menduri Kasper
Managing Director / CEO
E-Mail

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Know-how

  • Tourism expert HF
  • Executive MBA General Management FH
  • CAS Event Management FH
  • Tourism Coordinator Silvaplana 2007-2016
  • OC President NOS Schwingfest
  • OC President of the Engadin Country Fest
  • OC Engadin Swimrun and Engadin Bike Giro

Daniel Barmettler
Finances
 

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Know-how

  • Certified Trust Expert

  • Management RBT AG

  • Head of Finance several clubs

Adriano Iseppi
Race organization / Race Control

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Know-how

  • Sports & biology teacher with higher teaching qualification
  • MBA Entrepreneurship & Service Management FH
  • Certified Trainer Swiss Olympic
  • Disciplinary Manager Cross Country Swiss Ski 2007-2009
  • OC President World Cup Davos Nordic 2011-2015
  • President Engadin Nordic base since 2016
  • OC La Diagonela since 2013
  • Co-commentator Cross Country SRF since 2009

Andrea Nievergelt
Infrastructure / Village
 

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Know-how

  • Apprenticeship as a carpenter
  • Studied timber construction engineer FH in Biel with 1-year internship in Australia
  • Several years of experience in construction and project management
  • Working for Statix Plus Ingenieurbüro, Zernez

 

Reto Matossi
Race organization / route

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Know-how

  • Physical education teacher
  • OC President BOB World Cup 2007 and 2013
  • Member of the parish council St. Moritz
  • Assistance in various commissions and OK's
  • Voluntari on various occasions in the region

Marathon Office

Seraina Niggli
Marathonbüro
E-Mail

Catherine Tgetgel
Marathon Office
E-Mail

Tanja Pelazzi
Marathon Office
E-Mail​​​​​​​

Jan Bill 
Marathon Office
E-Mail

Daniela Caprez
Marathonbüro
E-Mail

Flurina Zala
Marathonbüro
E-Mail

Finances

The event budget is CHF 3 million. 47 percent of this is generated from sponsorship income and 46 percent from entry fees. Various contributions cover the remaining seven percent.

Value creation study

The Engadin Skimarathon is the largest cross-country event in Switzerland and has been a fixture in the calendar of Swiss popular and top-class sports for many decades. Every year, some 14,000 participants and around half as many visitors, accompanying people and volunteer helpers travel to the Engadine to take part in this unique sports event.

Due to its size, the Engadin Skimarathon triggers a range of economic and tourism effects in the region, which has been examined and summarized in a comprehensive value added study.

Value study Engadin Skimarathon