On top of the world

JUNGFRAU RAILWAYS held its annual sporting challenge last month on a beautiful day high up in the Swiss Alps, challenging cross-country Olympic champion Dario Cologna and sprint star Asafa Powell to race each other over 100 metres of snow-covered terrain 3,454 metres above sea level.
Held in collaboration with luxury watchmaker Hublot the day after the 40th edition of Athletissima in Lausanne, the event brought the pinnacle of athletics to dizzying heights.
Swiss athlete Mujinga Kambundji and her 4 x 100 metres relay team-mates including Farnette Humair, Marisa Lavanchy, and Lee Sprunger were also on hand, and along with Cologna and Powell shared their passion for racing with the next generation of runners alongside dozens of children who had come to meet their champions.
“Anyone is beatable, you know,” Powell told the young athletes. “You just have to be in your best shape and ready. The person who’s ready on the day is the one who’s going to win.”
The highlight of the day on the Top of Europe, as the Jungfraujoch is known, was the sprint between Cologna and Powell. While the sprint star |performed his supreme |discipline on a specially laid track, Cologna, Hublot brand ambassador since 2010, |made his start on snow.
The exciting race ended with a photo-finish. Powell, who had never run at this altitude and had never encountered cross-country skiing before, was enthusiastic.
“I can imagine training here on the Jungfraujoch in the summer,” he told the crowd.
Cologna also enjoyed the Challenge. “Sometimes I miss the snow in summer. That’s why I’m delighted to be up here today,” said the triple Olympic champion. Powell added that running the 100 metres in 9 seconds at this kind of altitude was humanly impossible.
“Maybe on skis,” laughed the former world-record holder in the 100 metres and fourth fastest sprinter in the history of his discipline
Another surprise came courtesy of top wrestler and brand ambassador of Jungfrau Railways Kilian Wenger who spontaneously challenged Powell to an arm wrestling match, and defeated his opponent with ease.
Several sports events have already been held with world-famous athletes on the Jungfraujoch. “I couldn’t imagine topping the tennis match with Roger Federer last year.
But this event with Dario and Asafa has been great fun and we’re delighted to have been able to bring top international athletes to Aletsch Glacier again,” Urs Kessler, chief executive of Jungfrau Railways, told XP after the event.
 To mark the 10th anniversary of its modern icon, the Big Bang, Hublot has introduced 16 variations of three key products. Showcased at Baselworld 2015, the Big Bang Tourbillon 5-Day Power Reserve Indicator Full Magic Gold joins the Big Bang Unico Full Magic Gold with its “one click” strap attachment system as a must have for collectors.
 Presented in a 45mm case size, the watch is equipped with a one-minute tourbillon device at the six o’clock position. The owner can tell how much of the 115 hours power reserve is left on this hand-winding skeleton movement by checking the indicator at the nine o’clock position.
 Four variations of the Big Bang Unico “10 Years” Haute Joaillerie are guaranteed to ensure that the anniversary is a memorable one. Depending on the variation, the white gold case is adorned with roughly 40 carats of black or white baguette diamonds, with or without blue sapphires or red rubies.