Val d’Isère

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This is what Switzerland remembers. December 6, 1975. Roland Collombin's heavy crash during his downhill training run in Val d'Isere. He broke his back, ending his career at 23 years old. Keystone/AP Keystone

Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Alpine Ski World Championships in Val d'Isere. Luca Bruno, Keystone/AP Keystone

Swiss fans cheer during the downhill ski race at the World Alpine Ski Championships. Jean-Christophe Bott, Keystone Keystone

Swiss Didier Cuche in action during the men's super-G competition. Hans Klaus Techt, Keystone/epa Keystone

Didier Cuche of Switzerland celebrates after completing the men's super-G race, which he won. Armando Trovati, AP Keystone

Carlo Janka from Switzerland reacts in the finishing area during the men's super-G race. He took ninth place. Jean-Christophe Bott, Keystone Keystone

Switzerland's Didier Cuche, center, winner of the men's super-G race, looks on as second-place Peter Fill, of Italy, left, and third-place Aksel Lund Svindal, of Norway, shake hands. Luca Bruno, Keystone/AP Keystone

Switzerland's Didier Cuche reacts upon his arrival at the finish area of the men's downhill. He won the silver, having missed the gold by 0.04 seconds. Ian Langsdon, epa Keystone

Spotlights illuminate the men's downhill course on the icy Bellvarde face. Karl-Josef Hildenbrand, epa Keystone

Switzerland's Lara Gut races to second place during the women's super-combined event. The 17-year-old sensation won two medals. Michael Probst, AP Keystone

Lara Gut, centre, with her mother, Gabriella, and father, Pauli, pose with the silver medal of the women's super-combined race during a ceremony at the House of Switzerland in Val d'Isère. Jean-Christophe Bott, Keystone Keystone

Switzerland's Fabienne Suter in action during the women's super-combined slalom competition. She took eighth place. Karl-Josef Hildenbrand, epa Keystone

Switzerland's Rabea Grand speeds down the course during the downhill portion of the women's super-combined race. She placed 14th. Alessandro TRovati, Keystone/AP Keystone

Swiss's fans cheer during the women's downhill. Jean-Christophe Bott, Keystone Keystone

Lara Gut of Switzerland celebrates in the finish area of the women's combined slalom. She won silver. Hans Klaus Techt, Keystone/epa Keystone

Didier Cuche soars off a roller during a training run for the men's downhill race. Alexandra Wey, Keystone Keystone

Switzerland's Didier Cuche, left, silver medal, and his teammate Carlo Janka, who got the bronze, stand on the podium of the men's downhill race. Sergey Ponomarev, AP Keystone

Switzerland's Didier Défago crashes during the men's downhill race. He was not injured. Michael Probst, Keystone/AP Keystone

Lindsey Vonn of the United States, left, and Switzerland's Lara Gut celebrate after the women's downhill. Vonn won the race and later injured her thumb on a champagne bottle while celebrating. Ian Langsdon, epa Keystone

Lara Gut celebrates winning the silver after the award ceremony of women's downhill. Helmut Fohringer, epa Keystone

Lara Gut, right, with her father Pauli, centre, and Barnaba Greppi from her service team, pose with the silver medal of the women's super-combined race, during a ceremony at the House of Switzerland. Alexandra Wey, Keystone Keystone

Soldiers and volunteers shovel the course as the women's downhill was postponed and rescheduled after excessive snowfall. Luca Bruno, AP Keystone

A view of the results board at the finish area of the women's downhill competition announces the cancellation of the race because of bad weather. Ian Langsdon, epa Keystone

Carlo Janka is on his way during the first run of the men's Giant Slalom competition at the Alpine Skiing World Championships in Val d'Isere. Helmut Fohringer, epa Keystone

Carlo Janka reacts in the finishing area, after the second run in the men's Giant Slalom, at the World Alpine Ski Championships in Val d'Isere. Janka won first place. Jean Christophe Bott, Keystone Keystone

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A look at some of the highlights from the 2009 Alpine Ski World Championships.