The architect behind Sochi’s downhill course

Former Swiss ski champion Bernhard Russi has stayed true to his favourite sport. Today he’s a presenter for Swiss television as well as a downhill slope designer. His latest work is the Olympic alpine skiing courses in Sochi. (SRF/swissinfo.ch)

A downhill Olympic victory in 1972 in Sapporo and two World Championship gold medals have turned skier Bernhard Russi into somewhat of a Swiss legend.

Today the 65-year-old from Andermatt in canton Uri has become a de facto Swiss ambassador for winter sports. For decades Russi has been one of the most competent experts on modern ski racing and has helped shape the sport significantly.

To date, he has designed downhill ski courses in Europe, North America and Asia.

When he was appointed to lay out the Olympic downhill courses for Sochi 2014 it sparked some controversy, with critics objecting to the fact that around a thousand trees in a Caucasian forest would have to be cut to make way for the courses.

Swiss television visited Russi in the lead-up to the Sochi Games, where he talked about his work building the Russian slopes.