Swiss mountains are like their chocolate – beautiful and energising!

Races becoming know by their acronyms are also becoming in demand events to attend. Majell Backhausen gives you an insight to one of Switzerland’s most well know four letter events, TVSB (Trail Verbier St-Bernard).

The main event has stout characteristics, with 111km and 8,400m of vertical gain, and aptly named X-Alpine. Topping out at Orny (2826m) and traversing historical locations such as Grand Col St Bernard. Like most enthusiastic and committed organisations they hold 4 other events on the same weekend, allowing people of all ages and ability levels to experience trail running, Swiss style.

Traversèe: 61km with 4000m elv. gain

Liddes-Verbier: 29km with 2500m elv. gain

X-Direct: 6km with 650m elv. gain

Discovery Trail: The Sunday morning event for kids aged 4-14 y.o.

Verbier and its surrounding regions, including Pays du St-Bernard (Yes, its symbol is the St-Bernard dog) are investing a lot of time and effort into its Summer season offerings. Based on a successful 8th edition of TVSB it’s certainly on the right track…or trail!

Switzerland is very beautiful…a very clean beautiful. It has a special look and feel to it. It’s orderly, the chalets are uniform, the mountains and gardens are stunning. In fact, the mountains sometimes are so perfect they look just like Toblerone.

There are several Valleys within Valais (south west pocket of Switzerland) and each produces a different cheese, are home to different fighting cows and have different, equally spectacular, views the same mountains. Each valley is home to mountain huts, housing mountaineers, day hikers and guardians all summer long.

Visiting the Valais Region for the TVSB event allowed me and PIC Lucy, to experience some of the summers best activities. Probably not ideal for event preparation, but perfect for experiencing the region, meeting the locals and getting an understanding of the history. Jumping off a mountain from 2000m high with a paragliding wing and a large man strapped to my back, was a little nerve racking. Until he humbly mentioned that he is 3 times Swiss National Champion in Paragliding. It’s the middle ground between skydiving and base jumping.

TVSB statistics are very similar to The Skyrunning World Championships. This is a clear indication that TVSB is a serious mountain race. Not partaking in the TVSB 111km event was due to the upcoming Skyrunning World Championships. Being 2 weeks away it just wouldn’t allow adequate recovery for the main event of the year.

That week, we met Jules-Henri Gabioud, I was told he has won the Tor Des Geants… instant man crush. Then he proved to be one of the nicest people in the sport. We hiked up to l’A Neuve Cabane for homemade rossti made by his mother, with a view of Mt Dolent as the backdrop (which is home to the borders of Switzerland, France and Italy). Jules went on to win the TVSB 111km X Alpine event. A BOSS!

There was no end to experiencing this region in its full light. We went a step further and experienced mountain hut life at 3,030m at the Valsorey Hut. Made even more fun by not mentioning the small detail of being vegetarian until after the tray of meat for dinner was placed on the table.

Staying in the Grand Col St Bernard Hospice was eye opening for two main reasons. One of the buildings dates back to over a thousand years ago and walking through it is mesmerising. Secondly, it’s along the Via Francigena Pilgrimage, a journey walked by many that goes from Canterbury (UK) to Rome (Italy). Approximately 1700km… That’s an Ultra!

Missing the 111km event, meant missing some of its great trails on race day. So It was planned to run on the TVSB course from the St Bernard Hospice to the town of La Fouly. A small climb over the snow covered pass and a large descent to town. It was just one of those unforgettable days on the trail.

Also while there we were matched up with one most enthusiastic e-Bike guides on the Mountains. Taking breaks for traditional herbal liquor, hearing the truth behind Swiss art, fighting cows and experiencing why Verbier is a place to ‘recharge, relax and become alive, again’.

The 29km event, although shorter, still packed the required punch for mountain running. With 2,500m of elevation and organised with Swiss like military precision, it was what you hope for when you run in this part of the world. Although the 29km event is not a race, the organisation hold this event to encourage participants to enter with no, ‘race’ like pressure. ‘The ranking is not what matters most, which is exactly the philosophy we like’- Matt Girard, TVSB. With this philosophy, trail running will always be inclusive, welcoming and encouraging, growing in a way that will largely ensure longevity for the sport.

Trail Verbier St-Bernard is on again in 2017, July 7-8-9th.

One final note: Be aware that when a Swiss local describes a run as ‘Flat’, that immediately translates to “Very hilly with good views.” There is no exception to this rule.