Bulgaria breaks new ground as Ledecka returns
Jan 19, 2024·Alpine Snowboard
The jam-packed January schedule rolls into new territory this weekend with Pamporovo, Bulgaria hosting two parallel slalom races in its inaugural FIS Alpine Snowboard World Cup event. And no one is more excited than Radoslav Yankov.
“It's like a dream come true for me, to have the world elite in snowboarding come to my home where the first steps of my career are,” the Bulgarian veteran said.
The 33-year-old will have local knowledge as well as the whole crowd, including his entire family, on his side: he is from the area and grew up training on this picturesque mountain.
The FIS World Cup tour has often been to Bansko, helping the sport grow in Bulgaria, and Yankov has driven it even further, winning 15 national championships to inspire the youth in his country to pick up a snowboard. The likes of Tervel Zamfirov, Petar Gergyovski, and Alexander Krashniak have all shown promise in the junior ranks.
“As in Bansko every year and here in Pamporovo I hope for strong support. It definitely gives me strength and motivation,” Yankov said.
With a strong performance in Bad Gastein, Austria earlier this week, when he advanced to the quarter-finals, Yankov will be hoping home snow provides him with a ninth career World Cup podium.
He said: “I'm feeling good on the snowboard at the moment. In Bad Gastein I'm definitely happy with the result, top eight again gives me confidence.”
He will up against strong contingents from Italy, headed by Maurizio Bormolini (ITA) who topped the podium in the parallel slalom in Bad Gastein, and Austria, including parallel slalom leader Arvid Auner (AUT)
Can anybody topple Hofmeister?
The women’s field has been less open this season with Romana Theresia Hofmeister (GER) winning four out of five races so far, but could face competition from the Julie Zogg (SUI), who won both races in Bansko last season.
“I am happy to be back in Bulgaria,” Zogg, who has three fourth-place finishes this season, said. “I will do my best to repeat last year's performance. It won't be easy, but I'm ready."
There’s no doubt who the headline act is this weekend, however. Dual-sport star Ester Ledecka (CZE) has spent the season competing on the Alpine Skiing World Cup tour, where she’s yet to crack the top 10.
But with two Olympic gold medals in Alpine Snowboard, plus two world championship titles and four overall World Cup crystal globes, she’ll be hoping for better as she returns to her other sport for the first time this season.
“I’m very happy to be here back on the snowboard tour and the board,” Ledecka said. “This season has been nice to mix ski and snowboard trainings a bit more. My goal is to enjoy the ride.”
RACE SCHEDULE
On January 20 the knockout rounds get going at 13:00 local time (12:00 CET) with the qualifying beforehand. The same schedule will apply on Sunday. There will be a public bib draw tonight and tomorrow in Hotel Perelik, Rodopi Hall at 18:30 LOC (17:30 CET).
Please note: the schedule is subject to change due to local weather conditions.
WHERE TO WATCH
