Intentional punishment: Ski star with bizarre Val Gardena tactic

A curious incident occurred during the Val Gardena downhill race: A Swiss skier deliberately allowed himself to be penalized. What was the reason behind this bizarre tactic?

20 December 2025

From: det

It was the big surprise of this Val Gardena speed week: On Friday, the Unknown Jan Zabystran sensationally wins the Super-G on the Saslong. This feat was accomplished by the Czech skier wearing number 29 – thus confirming once again the phenomenon that makes the Val Gardena races so fascinating. Here, the skiers with higher numbers can always cause surprises, because the course gets faster and the visibility clearer over time.

And that's precisely why Justin Murisier devised a special tactic for Saturday's downhill race. The Swiss ski star wanted to start with a high bib number, which wasn't possible due to his strong position in the downhill rankings. Therefore, he skipped the bib draw on Friday, hoping to be penalized.

Justin Murisier during his match in Val Gardena. © ANSA / ANDREA SOLERO

Murisier would have been assigned bib number 15, but because he didn't show up, he was moved back according to the regulations. He was therefore only allowed to start on Saturday with bib number 46. "I don't think my decision involves any risk. Rather, I'm trying to seize my opportunity. If it works out, great, and if not, I'll just end up somewhere around 23rd place, which would be an average result for Val Gardena," Murisier told the press. FRS.

A top result failed to materialize.

The Swiss skier started the race with bib number 46. However, he didn't manage a lucky break, meaning a top result. In the end, Murisier finished in 16th place, which is still a small success for him. The 33-year-old had never achieved such a high ranking in the downhill season. The victory, by the way, went to Murisier's teammate Franjo von Allmen, who prevailed against Marco Odermatt and Florian Schieder.

Keywords Winter sports Alpine skiing Justin Murisier Val Gardena