# Roland Collombin

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**Roland Collombin** (born 17 February 1951) is a former [World Cup](/source/FIS_Alpine_Ski_World_Cup) [alpine ski racer](/source/Alpine_skiing) from [Switzerland](/source/Switzerland), a two-time World Cup [downhill](/source/Downhill_(ski_competition)) champion and Olympic silver medalist.[1]

## Racing career

Born in [Versegères](/source/Bagnes) in the [canton](/source/Cantons_of_Switzerland) of [Valais](/source/Valais), 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](/source/Val-d'Is%C3%A8re), [France](/source/France). Two months later, he won the silver medal in the downhill at the [1972 Winter Olympics](/source/Alpine_Skiing_at_the_1972_Winter_Olympics) at [Sapporo](/source/Sapporo,_Japan), [Japan](/source/Japan), finishing behind countryman [Bernhard Russi](/source/Bernhard_Russi).

Collombin dominated the event over the next two World Cup seasons, [1973](/source/1973_Alpine_Skiing_World_Cup) and [1974](/source/1974_Alpine_Skiing_World_Cup), and won the [World Cup](/source/FIS_Alpine_Ski_World_Cup) season titles in downhill.

In January 1974, Collombin won the month's four downhills in consecutive weeks, which included the two classics: the [Lauberhorn](/source/Lauberhorn) at [Wengen](/source/Wengen), Switzerland, and the [Hahnenkamm](/source/Hahnenkamm,_Kitzb%C3%BChel) at [Kitzbühel](/source/Kitzb%C3%BChel), [Austria](/source/Austria). Collombin had finished second in the previous two downhills in December 1973 for six consecutive downhill podiums. The repeat win at Kitzbühel was in record time, besting [Jean-Claude Killy](/source/Jean-Claude_Killy)'s mark of [1967](/source/1967_Alpine_Skiing_World_Cup),[2] but was Collombin's last finish in international competition. ([Franz Klammer](/source/Franz_Klammer) of Austria broke the record at Kitzbühel the following year.)

The [World Championships](/source/FIS_Alpine_World_Ski_Championships) were held in Switzerland in February [1974](/source/FIS_Alpine_World_Ski_Championships_1974) at [St. Moritz](/source/St._Moritz). The Swiss team won seven medals at the Olympics two years earlier in Japan, but managed just one at home, a bronze in the women's slalom (by [Lise-Marie Morerod](/source/Lise-Marie_Morerod)). Collombin could not continue his January success; he fell in the downhill and did not finish, but he was 0.45 seconds behind winner [David Zwilling](/source/David_Zwilling) before he did fall, maybe a too big margin to take the win.[3]

### Injuries

On 8 December 1974, Collombin fell in the season's first downhill at [Val-d'Isère](/source/Val-d'Is%C3%A8re) and bruised his spine, ending his [1975 season](/source/1975_Alpine_Skiing_World_Cup).[4] In his absence, [Franz Klammer](/source/Franz_Klammer) of [Austria](/source/Austria) won the first of his four straight downhill season titles. Collombin attempted a comeback on 7 December 1975 at Val-d'Isère, but fell in the first training at the same jump as the year before and broke two vertebrae, being paralyzed for two days and ending his racing career. That jump is called »Bosse à Collombin« since that time.[5][6] Nearly paralyzed,[7] Collombin did not walk again until mid-February,[8] after the [1976 Winter Olympics](/source/Alpine_skiing_at_the_1976_Winter_Olympics) in [Innsbruck](/source/Innsbruck). He finished his World Cup career with eight victories and three runner-up finishes, all in downhill.[1]

By now, Mr. Collombin is a vinicultarist, wine merchant and hotelier at Versegères.[citation needed]

## After racing

Collombin and his wife Sarah operate a [guest house](/source/Guest_house) in Versegères, and they have a product line of wines.[1][9][10] In late 2014, they opened a [raclette](/source/Raclette) bar in [Martigny](/source/Martigny) named "La Streif", in reference to the [challenging downhill course](/source/Streif) in Kitzbühel, Austria, where he won twice (1973, 1974).[11]

## World Cup results

### Season titles

Season Discipline 1973 Downhill 1974 Downhill

### Season standings

Season Age Overall Slalom Giant Slalom Super G Downhill Combined 1972 21 38 — — not run 15 not awarded 1973 22 3 — — 1 1974 23 4 — — 1 1975 24 injured at first DH race, out for season 1976 25

### Top ten finishes

- 8 wins – (8 [DH](/source/Downhill_(ski_competition)))
- 11 podiums – (11 DH), 14 top tens

Season Date Location Discipline Place 1972 12 December 1971 Val-d'Isère, France Downhill 7th 15 January 1972 Kitzbühel, Austria Downhill 7th 1972 Winter Olympics 1973 10 December 1972 Val-d'Isère, France Downhill 4th 15 December 1972 Val Gardena, Italy Downhill 1st 6 January 1973 Garmisch, West Germany Downhill 1st 7 January 1973 Downhill 1st 13 January 1973 Grindelwald, Switzerland Downhill 2nd 27 January 1973 Kitzbühel, Austria Downhill 1st 1974 18 December 1973 Zell am See, Austria Downhill 2nd 22 December 1973 Schladming, Austria Downhill 2nd 6 January 1974 Garmisch, West Germany Downhill 1st 12 January 1974 Avoriaz, France Downhill 1st 19 January 1974 Wengen, Switzerland Downhill 1st 26 January 1974 Kitzbühel, Austria Downhill 1st

## World championship results

Year Age Slalom Giant Slalom Super-G Downhill Combined 1972 20 — — not run 2 — 1974 22 — — DNF —

From [1948](/source/Alpine_skiing_at_the_1948_Winter_Olympics) through [1980](/source/Alpine_skiing_at_the_1980_Winter_Olympics), the [Winter Olympics](/source/Alpine_skiing_at_the_Winter_Olympics) were also the [World Championships](/source/FIS_Alpine_World_Ski_Championships) for alpine skiing.

## Olympic results

Year Age Slalom Giant Slalom Super-G Downhill Combined 1972 20 — — not run 2 not run

## References

1. ["Roland Collombin"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200418101456/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/co/roland-collombin-1.html). Archived from [the original](https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/co/roland-collombin-1.html) on 2020-04-18.

1. ["Swiss tops Killy's mark in downhill"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19740126&id=tS5OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=W-0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5541,4844062). *Spokesman-Review*. Associated Press. 27 January 1974. p. 9.

1. ["Thoeni adds second skiing gold"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RpouAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mKEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=653%2C2576393). *Montreal Gazette*. UPI. 11 February 1974. p. 17.

1. ["Proell-Moser wins"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GMkyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=m-0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2467%2C3235369). *Ottawa Citizen*. Associated Press. 9 December 1974. p. 18.

1. ["Swiss star injured – French skier killed"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2r0yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=s-0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=3223%2C4131806). *Ottawa Citizen*. Reuters. 8 December 1975. p. 18.

1. Reilly, Rick (23 November 1998). ["Uphill battle for a downhill skier"](http://sportsillustrated.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1014652/index.htm). *Sports Illustrated*. p. 174. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131217073202/http://sportsillustrated.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1014652/index.htm) December 17, 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 6, 2024.

1. ["End of career"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19751211&id=B5guAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nqEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1845,2941940). *Montreal Gazette*. Associated Press. 11 December 1975. p. 50.

1. ["Sport shorts: Swiss skier Roland Collombin"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19760220&id=EPUhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3aEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1199,1089174). *Montreal Gazette*. 20 February 1976. p. 25.

1. [Reviews of Rolland Collombin guest house in Versegères, Switzerland](http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g198848-d775829-Reviews-Roland_Collombin-Verbier_Valais_Swiss_Alps.html). tripadvisor.com

1. [Commandez vos vins préférés](http://www.rolandcollombin.ch/commande.html). rolandcollumbin.ch (in French) – wines – accessed 2 January 2011

1. [La «Colombe» remet la gomme, mais cette fois en famille!](http://www.illustre.ch/people/National/fil-de-linfo/la-«colombe»-remet-la-gomme-mais-cette-fois-en-famille) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150924034631/http://www.illustre.ch/people/National/fil-de-linfo/la-) 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine illustre.ch. 17 December 2014

## External links

- [Roland Collombin.ch](http://www.rolandcollombin.ch/photos.html) personal site/photo gallery (in French)

**Videos**

- [Video](https://www.youtube.com/VCqBbhcF6IQ) on YouTube – Roland Collombin – penultimate victory – [Wengen](/source/Lauberhorn) – 19-Jan-[1974](/source/1974_Alpine_Skiing_World_Cup)
- [Video](https://www.youtube.com/UHDIUdReh_I) on YouTube – [Albrecht](/source/Daniel_Albrecht) vs. Collombin – career ending crashes of two Swiss downhillers – (Jan 2009 vs Dec 1975)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Roland Collombin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Collombin) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Collombin?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.