1930 World Bobsleigh Championship

The first Bobsleigh World Championship ( French Championnat du Monde de Bobsleigh , German World Bobsleigh Championships ) took place on January 25 and 26, 1930 in Caux near Montreux in Switzerland . On the 2,504 meter long track from Crêt-d'y-Bau , the athletes achieved a maximum speed of 80 to 90 kilometers per hour with an average gradient of 9.5%. The times were measured electronically , and a light panel allowed the spectators to determine the location of the bobsleigh on the route at any time . Eight nations registered for the only four-man bobsleigh competition.

During training, the South Slavic bobsleigh , which was occupied by students from the University of Lausanne , drove over the ice wall in a curve due to a wrong maneuver and hit a tree. The helmsman B. Jukowitsch suffered a broken skull , pelvis and leg, the two students P. Nowakowitsch and A. Djuparin suffered a severe concussion and several fractured ribs . The fourth occupant of the bobsled was uninjured. Due to a lack of snow, snow had to be brought from the Dent de Jaman ; the route was maintained by 25 workers during the World Cup; the costs for this amounted to at least 18,000 francs .

Results

Men's four-man bobsleigh

Two runs were held on Saturday and Sunday, the two best times were added together for the final result. The Austrian bobsleigh did not start for the fourth run due to an injury to a team member.

space	country	athlete	Final score	total time
1.	Italy 1861 Italy I	Franco Zaninetta ( St. ) Giorgio Biasini Antonio Dorini Gino Rossi	5: 40.18 min	11: 29.95 min
2.	Switzerland Switzerland II	Jean Mollien (St.) John Schneiter André Mollien William Pichard	5: 41.24 min	11: 36.65 min
3.	German Empire Germany II	Fritz Grau (St.) Hans Picker Bertram Albert Brehme	5: 41.42 min	11: 36.95 min
4th	German Empire Germany I.	Werner Zahn (St.)	5: 44.00 min	12: 57.59 min
5.	Switzerland Switzerland I.	Flavien Grosjean (St.) H. Bonvin R. de Sepibus H. Savioz	5: 48.71 min	11: 43.17 min
6th	United Kingdom England I	Ralph Wallace (St.)	5: 50.23 min	11: 46.65 min
	Italy Italy II	Rigazzio (St.)		11: 47.13 min
	Argentina Argentina I	Martinez de Hoz (St.)		11: 51.94 min
	France France I.	Lefèvre (St.)		12: 13.26 min
	France France II	Miltat (St.)		12: 54.16 min
	Spain 1875 Spain I.	Pons (St.)		13: 18.95 min
	Austria Austria I.	Heidinger (St.) Judamayer		DNF

Medal table

space	country	gold	silver	bronze	total
1.	Italy 1861 Italy	1	0	0	1
2.	Switzerland Switzerland	0	1	0	1
3.	German Empire Germany	0	0	1	1

Individual evidence

^ Walter Schweizer: World Bobsleigh Championships in Caux ob Montreux. In: SBB Revue CFF . No. 1, 1930, p. 32 (available from e-periodica.ch ).
^ Accidents and crimes. In: Oberländer Tagblatt of January 24, 1930, p. 4 (available from e-newspaperarchives.ch ).
^ Dernières nouvelles. In: Feuille commerciale de Sierre et du district of January 29, 1930, p. 3 (available from e-newspaperarchives.ch ).
^ Les championnats du monde de bobsleigh à Caux. In: La Suisse Libérale of January 27, 1930, p. 2 (available from e-newspaperarchives.ch ).
↑ Championnat du monde de Bobleigh de Caux. In: Feuille d'avis du district de Monthey of January 28, 1930, p. 3 (available from e-newspaperarchives.ch ).

[1] Walter Schweizer: World Bobsleigh Championships in Caux ob Montreux. In: SBB Revue CFF . No. 1, 1930, p. 32 (available from e-periodica.ch ).

[2] Accidents and crimes. In: Oberländer Tagblatt of January 24, 1930, p. 4 (available from e-newspaperarchives.ch ).

[3] Dernières nouvelles. In: Feuille commerciale de Sierre et du district of January 29, 1930, p. 3 (available from e-newspaperarchives.ch ).

[4] Les championnats du monde de bobsleigh à Caux. In: La Suisse Libérale of January 27, 1930, p. 2 (available from e-newspaperarchives.ch ).

[5] Championnat du monde de Bobleigh de Caux. In: Feuille d'avis du district de Monthey of January 28, 1930, p. 3 (available from e-newspaperarchives.ch ).