1928On 29th January the first inferno race was organized by Sir Arnold Lunn with 17 participants, four of them women.
Route: Schilthorn - Engetal - Kanonenrohr - Maulerhubel - Winteregg - along the railway to Grütschalp - through the forest to Lauterbrunnen.
The British called the race "infernal", so the term Inferno-Race was used.
In 1929 and 1930 further races were organised. These three races were only open to members of the Kandahar Ski Club.
For some reason there were no races organised from 1931-1935.
1936The organization was taken over by the Mürren Ski Club, the Mürren ski school and the Mürren Tourist Office. The race was open to all participants and achieved an international entry field. The race with the start as high as possible and the finish as low as possible depending on the snow and weather conditions.
Due to the 2nd World War no no races took place from 1939-1946.
1952The race achieved a new entry record with 55 participants, in past years it fluctuated between 9 and 34. This increase in participants is mainly attributable to Fieldmarshall Montgomery and his contacts in the international armies. He was able to convince teams from the various armies to participate. During this time the first control gate had to be introduced at the Höhenlücke, as the participants chose more and more routes through dangerous avalanche areas.
1960The number of participants declined to 29, as Montgomery's influence in NATO circles diminished and there were only British army teams entering.
1962The weather and snow conditions allowed only one race with the start on the Allmendhubel and the finish in Grütschalp. All participants started twice, i.e. first in the morning and then in the afternoon and the two times were counted together because it was such a short course.
In 1964 no race took place, we do not know the reasons.
1965On March 13, the Schilthorn Cableway Ltd. opened the section Mürren-Birg. Racers could now ski down from Birg and climb up to the start. This meant that in 1965 the Inferno-Race was held in the spring.
1968The Schilthorn Cableway Ltd. opened the section Birg-Schilthorn in June 1967. Unfortunately, the weather conditions in 1968 did not allow a start from the Schilthorn, so the start was at Birg.
1970For the first time almost 100 participants.
No race took place in 1971, the reason is unknown.
1972Kurt Huggler, a local and former World Cup ski racer became the Tourist Office director in 1971. He initiated the decision to no longer be a part of the Arlberg Kandahar World Cup races and to push the Inferno race as a competition for anyone . The Inferno race became the first "Volksskirennen". A brochure was designed and published for the first time and used to promote the race. Inferno certificates and pins were introduced and awarded to the participants. In the following years, the number of competitors rose steadily.
This year, Swiss TV decided to report on the race. The organisers worried that the poor weather forecast would not provide a great report for TV, so the Inferno-procession with the subsequent devil burning was launched. In this way, attractive images of the Inferno race could still be filmed.
Kurt Huggler served as the President of the organising committee from 1972 to 1993.
From the 1970s onwards, the race piste was steadily improved with piste machines and helmets became obligatory.
1975The "Sir Arnold Lunn Cup" team race was introduced, named after the founder of the Inferno race, who died in 1974. The number of Inferno competitors rose to over 300.
1978The race course was adjusted to go Lauterbrunnen via Winteregg on the new forest road (built in 1969) rather than via Grütschalp.
1979The entry field reached 1100.
1980The entry field was limited to 1450 with several hundred entrants turned away.
1984A female category was introduced. Before they were ranked in the male senior class.
1985Introduction of the Inferno-Super-combination with a cross-country race on Wednesday, a giant slalom on Thursday and Saturday's downhill.
The giant slalom was carried out in the first years as a so-called "Risorgimento" or "Unseen Slalom", i.e. The run could not be inspected beforehand. For security reasons, after a few years, they changed it to a run with an inspection before the race.
1985Due to the uncertain weather conditions, the Inferno downhill was started on the Schiltgrat with the finish at the Alpweg near Lauterbrunnen. The route from Hindenburg resulted in a long climb behind the Sonnenberg. The racers were for the first and last time allowed to remove their skis for the ascent. Many racers complained bitterly about the start from the Schiltgrat and it was never considered again.
1990The lack of snow meant that the race was postponed from January to March. Unfortunately the conditions did not improve enough and the race had to be cancelled.
1991The official start was changed from the Schilthorn peak to the Kleinen Schilthorn, lower down, for safety reasons.
1993The downhill was held on the Saturday instead of the Sunday for the first time in our 50th Inferno race. The prize giving took place on the same evening during the first Inferno festival in the sports hall Mürren. Previously, the prize giving was held on the Saturday of the following year. This was made possible because electronic timing could be used for the first time. Prior to this, the times had to be calculated on the basis of fixed start times and the corresponding finishing time, which obviously took a long time.
1996Changing to electronic timing and results through Datasport meant that racers could leave the start hut in 12 second intervals. This replaced the old double start system where two racers left the start hut at the same time.
1998The maximum number of entrants was raised to 1850 but still there are hundreds who are turned away.
1999The Association of International Inferno Ski Race Mürren is created and is responsible for organising the Inferno races. Previously, the organisation was carried out by the members of the Mürren Ski Club and the Lauterbrunen Ski Club who still provide a large portion of the officials and helpers.
2003The Inferno cross country race is held as an evening event for the first time with three rounds of the Mürren village to celebrate the 60th running of the Inferno Downhill.
2003Due to the advances in snow making technology especially in the Kanonenrohr, we are able to provide a longer and more challenging course more often.
2004The finish line was positioned directly in front of the terrace at the Winteregg restaurant rather than on top of the hill opposite the chairlift.
2005In December 2014, damage to a cable on the Schilthorn Cableway made it clear that the Inferno race could not be started from the Schilthorn or Birg. This year the start was at "Schaffarrich" above the Höhenlücke with the finish at the Alpweg near Lauterbrunnen.
2010Electronic chips were attached to the start numbers and used to calculate the finishing times for the first time.
2011Intermediate times at the Obere Hubel and at Winteregg were calculated using the electronic chips for the first time.
2018As a part of the anniversary celebrations of the 75th Inferno race, the "Sir Arnold Lunn Cup" has been run on the Friday morning as a separate race. It took place on a section of the Inferno route. There were four participants starting at the same time.
2018For the cross country the start an finish area has been moved to the Alpine Sports Center.
2020The distance of the giant slalom has been extended by about 400 m, increasing the winning time to about 1 minute 20 seconds. This maintains the importance of the race within the combination.
2020In the downhill the top 30 ladies of the last three years are starting from now on in one block. This gives them a better feeling on the course for their position in the women's race.
2021The Inferno races 2021 had to be cancelled in December 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

 
 

 		Over the years, the route has been adjusted and control gates have been introduced for safety reasons. The regulations have been reviewed and are updated where it is deemed necessary.

 		Up to 2019 the full route has been used 21 times, in the last 20 years only three times, 2006, 2013 and 2019. The Allmendhubel has been used as a finish and as a start when conditions do not allow a start higher up.

 		The race piste conditions have improved over the years due to the wonderful support from the Schilthorn Cableway Ltd with their piste machines and technical snow-making facilities. This means a safer but faster course especially for the late starters . The safety precautions around the race piste are constantly reviewed and adjusted to try and achieve the highest levels possible.

 		Nowadays the preparations on the race courses start 1-2 weeks before the events and last into the Inferno week. The preparations for the sports centre party also take several days to organise. In addition, the Inferno office is staffed all year round. There are around 300 volunteers covering around 500-600 posts during the entire Inferno week.

 		New technologies in the digital age (Internet, apps, intermediate times, display panels, etc.), will continue to make the event more interesting for the participants and spectators.