One would probably never equate ski racing and motor racing but on this rare occasion, the two have crossed paths in the form of Formula One Champion Damon Hill. You’ll find this speed demon along with celebrities and a clutch of England’s well-to-do business tycoons swooping down the undulating slopes of Crans Montana, Switzerland. This describes a typical scene at the Knight Frank City Ski Championships.

This elite event is aimed at amateur ski racers from the financial industry in London, namely stockbrokers and city slickers. This is the type of event that if you need to ask, you aren’t supposed to know and remains very much a well-kept secret among celebrities and weekend warriors that flock here.  Held over a long weekend, this event this is all about the elite entertainment as well as skiing. It is a series of networking soirees, including an alpine forum sponsored by the Financial Times with big name stars and an audience of the city’s top financiers. There you’ll find the likes of other famous faces from the world of motor racing such as Jackie Stewart’s son Paul. Foodies will love to rub shoulders with the culinary gods in attendance such as MasterChef The Professionals judge and Michelin-starred celeb chef Marcus Wareing who cooked up a frenzy as he competed on the slopes. His fine cuisine was on offer at the forum, a posh buffet affair of quails eggs and salmon. Meanwhile, Swiss chef Franck Reynaud ensured that punters at après were well fed at La Cabane des violettes and at his own one Michelin star Hostellerie du Pas de l’Ours.

Organised by Amin Momen of Momentum Ski, this sensation of the ski season is held on a challenging red run just outside the chalet owned by the family of the late Sir Roger Moore.  With some of the best red and black runs in Switzerland, Crans Montana is a skiing mecca for intermediate and expert skiers. The City Ski event moved here from Cormeyeur, Italy in 2009 and has seen stars from the gastronomic, motorsports and financial world in attendance as well as elite skiers. Momentum Ski is a travel agency which organises elite experiences for ski enthusiasts all year round, not only this event but also a gourmet ski safari which invites the world’s top chefs like Tom Kerridge to share in a weekend of ski related activities.

During the event itself, ski racers traversed down the vertical drop one by one, like birds of prey darting out of the ski upon an unsuspecting quarry. This only seemed fitting as none other than Michael Edwards better known as Eddie the Eagle kicked off the proceedings as a race forerunner. You couldn’t imagine a more star-studded event than this. Olympic skier Emily Sarsfield joined the skiing glitterati, while ski-established Honor Palmer-Tomkinson also graced the slopes. This is also the same track that the women’s downhill world cup circuit races and is one of the toughest.

Dubbed the best ski weekend in the Alps, the Knight Frank City Ski Championships are jam-packed with a glamorous calendar of skiing and social events both on and off the mountain, après ski, club nights, a gala dinner. After the racing, London and Europe’s business community can network, entertain clients, reward employees or simply attend with friends and work colleagues. The participants include stockbrokers, city traders and financial journalists as well as celebrities and passionate skiers surrounded by the natural alpine beauty of the Valais Alps.

The hottest apres ski location in Crans Montana, Zerodix was the scene of the post slope action. None other than England and Lions Rugby legend James Haskell spun the decks and raised the roof: there was dancing on the tables and fun all round. He was accompanied by his wife Chloe, daughter of daytime TV hosts Richard and Judy.

Après certainly made a welcome returned to the Alps as Haskell tore up the decks. Those returning to the mountains after two long years away certainly made up for lost time. Some of the city slickers celebrated by ordering jeroboams of Champagne and even a Nebuchanezzar of rose wine to continue the Formula One atmosphere, with Damon Hill joining the party himself.

A star-studded gala dinner took place at the Cry d’Er Club Altitude with guests including Konrad Bartelski a former British alpine ski racer famous for his performance in Val Gardena in the eighties and fellow star from the same era, Eddie the Eagle. An after party also took place at Art Vivre’s Tout un-Art restaurant which saw Marcus Wareing attend and mingle with guests.

The Knight Frank City Championships is an event that should be on every ski socialite’s calendar. The City Ski race is held in Crans Montana each year and is open to anyone who thinks they can take on the challenge.