British mother is the first woman to descend Switzerland Cresta Run

British mother-of-two, 41, becomes the first woman to descend Switzerland’s iconic Cresta Run since a 90-year ban on women tobogganists was overturned

  • Carina Evans had to complete three lower runs in under 46 seconds to qualify 
  • The ban was lifted last year by the St Moritz Tobogganning Club, known as SMTC
  • After 90 years, the reasoning for the ban on women still remains unclear

A British mother, 41, has become the first woman to descend Switzerland’s iconic Cresta Run since a 90-year ban on women tobogganists was lifted last year.

Carina Evans, an Army reservist and mother-of-two from Oxfordshire, described the experience as ‘exhilarating, amazing, incredible, but very scary’.

For 90 years, a ban on women has forbidden them to go down the run, but the restriction was lifted by St Moritz  Togogganning Club (SMTC) last year.  

Carina Evans, from Oxfordshire, pictured while completing the famous Cresta Run in St Moritz

Built during the 1880s from natural ice, the Cresta Run in St Moritz is the most famous toboggan track in the world.

Riders use only rakes on the end of their boots to steer and brake, reaching speeds of more than 80mph.

The most recent of five fatalities on the run happened in 2017.

Mrs Evans’ has been preparing for this moment for the past two decades.

Her father, Lt Col Digby Willoughby, was part of a two-man bobsleigh team that broke the world record in 1961 and he then became SMTC chief executive for 24 years.

She said she received support from the Army and the club and she described the experience as 'exhilarating, amazing, incredible, but very scary'

She said she received support from the Army and the club and she described the experience as ‘exhilarating, amazing, incredible, but very scary’

Mrs Evans joined the 7 Rifle reservists last year and began preparing for the run.

To qualify to race the full length, she had to complete three lower runs in under 46 seconds.

‘It absolutely depended on qualifying,’ Mrs Evans, who holds the British women’s record over the lower part of the course, said.

‘I had to do consistently low times to show I was a responsible rider, and with good times. 

Mrs Evans had been preparing for a long time and she had to complete three lower runs in under 46 seconds in order to qualify to race the full length

Mrs Evans had been preparing for a long time and she had to complete three lower runs in under 46 seconds in order to qualify to race the full length

‘It has taken a long time and a lot of determination and planning to get here.

‘This has been a focus for many years.’

Mrs Evans said the Army and the club ‘could not have been more supportive’.

She completed the Cresta Run in 75 seconds.

After 90 years, the reason for the ban on women still remains unclear.

Gary Lowe, the current chief executive and secretary, said there was a theory that men did not want to be embarassed by women going faster.

The only known time the rule was avoided was when a Swiss female rider was said to have gone down the run after pretending to be her husband.

A rider on the Crest Run turning the dangerous corner called Battledore

People watching the famous Cresta Run in Switzerland

Built during the 1880s from natural ice, the Cresta Run in St Moritz, Switzerland, is the most famous toboggan track in the world

Mrs Evans travelled home from St Moritz yesterday to the small farm near Henley-on-Thames, where she lives with her husband Nick, a professional polo player, and their daughters Isabella, 13, and Marina, 12.

‘I’m black and blue all over, but it was worth every bruise,’ she said.

‘It was a unique opportunity. You only have got one crack at this life.’ 

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