On April 17, 2026, under the vast Alpine sky, Alegra and Jullie raced not just against the clock, but alongside each other — step by step, breath by breath — to victory at the Patrouille des Jeunes. Crossing the finish line as a team, they claimed the Swiss Championship title in the team discipline, a moment shaped by trust, strength, and shared determination.

It was the culmination of an extraordinary season for Alegra. Across all four disciplines, she proved her versatility and resilience, becoming Swiss Champion in Sprint, Individual, and Team, and fighting her way to a silver medal in the Vertical race. Each result tells a story of effort, focus, and passion for the mountains.

At the same time, high above the valleys and glaciers, Dario, Andri, and Mark took on one of the greatest challenges in ski mountaineering: the legendary Patrouille des Glaciers from Zermatt to Verbier. In the cold silence of the night and across vast, crevassed glaciers, they moved together as a unit — bound by rope, trust, and the shared goal of reaching the finish.

Among them, Andri stood out in a special way: born on October 25, 2006, he was likely the youngest athlete on the long route. From Schönbiel all the way to Verbier, he carried the rope without pause — a quiet but extraordinary display of strength, resilience, and team spirit.

The Patrouille des Glaciers is more than a race. It is a journey through the heart of the Alps, a test of endurance, teamwork, and mental strength. To complete it is to become part of a tradition that defines the spirit of ski mountaineering.

These moments — victories, challenges, and shared experiences — capture what the sport is truly about: pushing limits, relying on one another, and finding meaning in the mountains.

Just before the finish, everything narrows to a final effort. Heavy legs, steady breaths — and the feeling: we’re almost there.
Crossing the line in Verbier, relief takes over. The strain fades, replaced by quiet joy and shared pride. A look, a smile — no words needed.
What remains is simple and strong: you did it, together.

Thank You
We went into this race with a lot of respect — especially when it came to acclimatization. Just two days before the start, we were still at sea level in the Lyngen Alps with TOPtoTOP.

A very special thank you to mountain guide Daniel from Disentis, who was visiting us in Norway with his guests. He didn’t hesitate to lend us two ice axes when ours turned out to be too short for the PDG regulations. And thank you to Andreas, who was ready as a reserve with Salina and also helped us out with his ice axe.

After the long journey to Zermatt, we were incredibly grateful to stay with Marine and Matthias. Thanks to them, we could arrive, breathe, and even fit in an acclimatization tour to the Breithorn the day before the race. Thanks as well to mountain guide Kilian, who made sure we had running shoes for the snowless first section — a small detail that made a big difference.
Thanks you Victorinox: fixing Dario’s binding with a Victorinox tool and a simple rubber band from a diary and making it work!

And then there was the energy from Salina and Alegra, cheering us on after their Patrouille des Jeunes. Seeing them gave us exactly the push we needed.

Now, back in the Lyngen Alps, we’re surrounded once again by familiar faces. Pfarrer Lorenz from Vilters is visiting us for the third time with his camper, together with his friend Albert. Nicola and Anoouk from Churwalden are here, as well as Robert from Munich — who just returned with Dario from an Arctic endurance training, including a snow bivouac.

We’re deeply thankful for all this support, these encounters, and the people who make journeys like this possible. – PDG, TOPtoTOP will be back for the PDG 2028!

Coming Soon / Invitation
TOPtoTOP will be on tour across Switzerland from May 7 to May 19 as part of the International Ocean Film Tour, before going offshore.
In between, we warmly invite you to a special and very personal day: on May 10 at 9:30, we will celebrate Alegra’s confirmation at the Klosterkirche Engelberg.
Afterwards, everyone is welcome to join us for a relaxed barbecue in the afternoon — also to celebrate Sabine & Dario’s silver wedding anniversary (25 years). Please bring your own food and drinks.
We would love to see you there.