Weltklasse: 1928-2003

Zurich's Weltklasse athletics meeting is celebrating its 75th anniversary.

The Weltklasse’s official website has compiled the following history to mark the occasion.

3000 spectators were cheering Paavo Nurmi when he won the 5000m race in 15:18.3 on August 12, 1928. This was by far the most spectacular performance of the first international meeting in Zurich, a venue that has become the greatest one-day track and field gala in the world.

In 1924, a handful of pioneer members of the LCZ which had become an independent club after separating from the Fussball-Club Zürich, decided to build a 400m dirt track in the Letzigrund Stadium. The club initiated and financed the project, and committed its 150 members to “slave labor”. After two year, the project was completed – and the club had miraculously shrunk to some 70 members.

After the first meeting, which took place on the last day of the Olympic Games in Amsterdam, the meeting was not staged on a regular basis. In the thirties it was dubbed «American Meeting» as many American athletes crossed the Atlantic by boat, and some of them also started in Switzerland.

At that time already very popular, the Letzigrund meeting became legendary with its “magic track” after the seasons of 1959 and 1960, when Martin Lauer (1959: 110m and 200m Hurdles) and Armin Hary (in 1960 the first man to run 100m in 10.0) broke two world records.

First synthetic track in Europe

In 1968, the Letzigrund stadium was the first stadium in Europe to be equipped with a synthetic track allowing it to live up to its reputation as “magic track”.

In the early seventies, the track was expanded to eight lanes, which was necessary in order to keep pace with the international track and field world. As a consequence of a series of construction work, the meeting could not be held for some time.

At the same time, several members of the organizational committee retired. Res Brügger, then vice-president of the club, succeeded Hermann Hofmann as President. And when Hermann Hofmann’s professional career no longer allowed him to act as Director of the international meeting, Res Brügger also “inherited” this office in 1972.

Start of the “Brügger era” in 1973

After long discussions, the Board decided to stage “Weltklasse Zürich” again as from 1973.

Thus, a new track and field era opened with a budget of 150.000 Swiss Francs, Rod Milburn’s 110 m hurdles world record, and a spectacular performance by Emiel Puttemans who almost broke the world record in the 5000m race on July 6, 1973.

13,082 spectators were crowding the stadium to watch the extraordinary track and field night.

As from 1973, the meeting took place every year. It began to set new standards, and – under the leadership of Res Brügger – quickly became a track and field Mecca. He was one of the first organizers to introduce commercial advertising on banners in Switzerland.

In 1974, “Weltklasse Zürich” introduced electronic timing and fought for a reform of the restrictive IAAF regulations. This commitment was one of the reasons why the meeting was not only popular with the spectators, but also attractive for the athletes.

The efforts of Res Brügger and his colleagues from the organizing committee were rewarded with 19 world records between 1973 and 1997.

Thrilling races

Aside from the world records, there have been many other outstanding races, jumps and throws presented by athletics legends and stars, such as Irena Szewinska, Valery Borsov, Alberto Juantorena, Mike Boit, Henry Rono, Said Aouita, Noureddine Morceli, Sergey Bubka or Merlene Ottey – to name but a few.

Every year, the best track and field athletes of the world have filled the audience in the stadium and TV viewers all over the world with enthusiasm. Their performances always create thrill and excitement – with or without world records.

In 1998, the athletes were faced with unusual heat and humidity – a climate that did not allow world records in the long distance races. Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR), however, missed his own world record in the 1500m race only by 45/100 (3:26,45).

Also the 1999 meeting was topped by outstanding middle and long distance races. Wilson Kipketer (DEN) won the 800m race in 1:43,01. Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) was the dominating runner on the 5000m (12:49,64) and Gabriela Szabo (ROM) won the 3000m in 8:25,03.

Gabriela Szabo was also responsable for one of the highlights in 2000. She won again in 3000m in 8:26,35. Gail Devers (USA) did an exciting 100m hurdles race in 12,39 and Marion Jones (USA) achieved one of the few Letzigrund doubles, winning in 100m (10,95) and long jump (6,93).

Golden homecoming for Bucher

André Bucher was the star at the meeting 2001. Just after his gold medal win at the World Championships in Edmonton he came to Zurich to win the 800m in a national record time of 1:42,55. Another top result was made by Olga Yegorova (RUS) by winning the 3000m in 8:23,26.

Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) with a 1500m win in 3:26,89, Felix Sanchez (DOM) winning the 400m hurdles in 47,35 and 800m runner Maria Mutola (MOZ) with her 10th Letzigrund win in a row were the starlights at last year’s meeting. Unmfortunately Brahim Boulami (MAR) was positive in the doping control the day before the meeting and his 3000m steeplechase world record wasn’t ratified. The case of this doping offense is still pending at the International Court of Sports.

Of course, there were several Swiss athletes who excited what Linford Christie (Olympic Champion in 1992, winner in Zurich in 1994 and 1995) called the “best audience in the world”. Markus Ryffel’s 5000m races against Henry Rono or Said Aouita, the middle distance races of Cornelia Bürki and Pierre Délèze, and of course Werner Günthör’s victories used to send waves of thunderous applause through the stadium.

400m hurdler Marcel Schelbert launched in Zurich his way up to the podium at the World Championships 1999 with a national record (48.52). And in 2000 and 2001 André Bucher was the hero of the crowd, winning twice the 800m race.

Money matters

1983 saw the inauguration of the new stands and the founding of the Verein für Grossveranstaltungen (Association for large events) VfG LCZ. Thus, the organization of the meeting was separated from the original club activities. The VfG LCZ has only 14 active members (Organizational Committee and Board) so that it can work efficiently and professionally. This step proved to be decisive for the future success of the meeting.

In 1983, the budget exceeded 1 million Swiss Francs, and in 1987, it already amounted to 2 million. Today, many other meetings work with a similar organizational structure as “Weltklasse Zürich”.

The most recent development in the history of the meeting was the founding of the Golden Four series which includes the Grand Prix Meetings of Zurich, Oslo, Brussels, and Berlin. Furthermore, the TV rights were marketed by Ufa, an affiliate company of Bertelsmann. This arrangement had ensured a budget of 5 million Swiss Francs. In 1996, 132 TV channels broadcasted “Weltklasse Zürich”.

In 1998, the organizers of the Golden Four meetings agreed to introduce the IAAF Golden League, initiated by the President of the IAAF. The series included the the four Golden Four events and meetings of Rome and Monte Carlo. In 1999 they were joined by Paris.

The system slightly changed. Originally with a one million dollar jackpot for wins at all meetings it was reduced in 2000 and 2001 to 5 wins out of 7 meetings for taking part at a 500’000 US dollar jackpot. In 2002 the system was changed back to 1 million US dollar for seven wins.

With the new competition structure Monaco was named as the host for the World Athletics Final, taking this event out of the Golden League. Now 1 million US dollar can be won with a victory at all six events.

History provided by Weltklasse Zurich

Weltklasse

Although the Weltklasse is 75 years old, this year’s edition is only the 53rd. Regular, annual meetings didn’t begin until 1973.
More than a dozen former Weltklasse champions are due to take part in the anniversary celebrations.
A book commemorating the event’s history will be published later this year.