Skiing - the Swiss national sport par excellence. In the past, however, skis were primarily a means of transport. After all, you had to get from valley to valley somehow. If you wanted to learn to ski, you learnt the personal style of your instructor. So there was a wild confusion of styles and techniques. This sparked debates: Which is the right style, which technique is the best?

The founding of the first Swiss ski school

These different opinions on the correct skiing technique led to confusion on St. Moritz's local mountain, which threatened to damage tourism. The spa and tourist association and the St. Moritz ski club took action and decided to standardise the confusion. The ambitious task was taken on by a man called Testa. Giovanni Testa. With the help of friends, he founded the St. Moritz ski school in 1929 - the first in Switzerland.

The invention of 'natural skiing'

‘This development was based on comradely and democratic principles. We exchanged opinions on a reciprocal basis and developed the new skiing technique in this way,’ writes Testa in the ski school chronicles. He praises the ‘love, discipline and diligence’ that the ski instructors showed in their work. This is how something great was created around the first ski school, a small hut on Salastrains: the natural skiing technique that is still used in daily lessons at the St. Moritz ski school today.

The prophet is not heard in his own country

This helped the St. Moritz winter sports centre to success and triggered a hype. But nobody believed it at the time. Testa's technique was questioned, especially by the umbrella organisation ‘Schweizerischer Interverband für Skilauf’, which was founded in 1932. Ski instructors only received a licence if they adhered to the Interverband technique. The Interverband's regulations at the time read: ‘Anyone who does not want to comply with this dictate must forego the brevet course and will be dismissed immediately.’ Giovanni Testa's opponents were overpowering, but he did not give in because he believed in his technique. As a result, the International Ski Association quickly revoked his ski instructor licence for ‘non-compliance with the Swiss standard technique’.

The Guardia Grischa and the ultimate proof

Determined to prove the suitability of his technique, he founded his own group of ski racers in 1936, consisting of instructors from the St. Moritz ski school. The “Guardia Grischa” was born. Internationally, the Red Legends fulfilled their mission at the 1948 Winter Games: in the second run, the youngest “Guardia Grischaner” Edy Reinalter became the first and so far only Swiss slalom skier to win Olympic gold. This was the ultimate proof that Giovanni Testa's skiing technique was not only suitable for amateur athletes, but also paved the way to Olympic gold. And this is still the case today - internationally.

Giovanni Testa was head of the Swiss Ski School St. Moritz for 12 years. One of his successors was the Olympic champion Edy Reinalter himself. They secured the knowledge that still characterizes the St. Moritz Ski School today. This is the place where it all began: This is where the first ski lessons were given, the first time a standardized technique was taught and the first time Olympic gold was won.

From resistance through conviction and passion to legends in red. A St. Moritz legacy that rightly makes us proud. And also a bit of an obligation. The best is yet to come!

Milestones at a glance

• 1929: Foundation of the St. Moritz ski school

• 1936-48: “Guardia Grischa” racing group celebrates international successes

• 1947: First training lift on Salastrains

• 1968: Chalet construction with children's recreation room on Salastrains

• 1982: Foundation of the fund for ski lessons for the blind and visually impaired

• 1988-89: Introduction of snowboard lessons

• 2010: Merger with “Snow and Fun” Celerina

• 2016: Digitalization of reservation & reorganization

• 2019: 90th anniversary

• 2022: Entry into the summer business