Luigi Bernasconi

The son of Italian immigrants to St. Moritz, Luigi Bernasconi learned to ski and jump at a very young age, joining the resort´s famous Ski Club. Despite not having the physical fitness or strength of other skiers and jumpers, Bernasconi was energetic and stylish. At the age of 15 Bernasconi won the 1925 Marver Cup when he jumped 28 metres, and the following year was clearing over 50 metres as he was proving to be an outstanding junior ski jumper. Unfortunately, he missed the 1926/27 winter season after undergoing emergency surgery.

Bernasconi returned for the 1928 Italian Championships in Cortina and won easily, thus earning a call-up to the St. Moritz Olympics, under the guidance of the new coach, Norwegian Lislegaard. Unfortunately, Bernasconi finished 33rd out of 38 starters in the large hill event. For the following two years, Bernasconi failed to show much of his early promise, other than finishing second in the Coppa Branca competition when beaten by Switzerland’s Reto Badrutt, who jumped a staggering 75 meters, which many regarded as a record leap at the time. After that, Bernasconi had few significant results, and even attempted Alpine skiing, but to no avail.