Pamporovo Europa Cup 2013

A festive parade welcomes the Europa Ski Cup in Pamporovo after 26 years break.

74 skiers from eighteen European States arrived for the competition in Pamporovo. The charter flight from Muenich with the alpine skiers on board arrived at the Plovdiv Airport early in the afternoon.  This announced on the competition’s press conference by the race director Valentin Stefanov.

„Because of the heavy snowfall it was impossible to provide additional parking places, declared Mr. Maryan Belyakov, CEO of Pamporovo Plc. He summoned the citizens who plan to travel for the cup by car to park at Ski Center “Malina where there is a big parking lot. There are parking lots at Ski Centre Stoykite, at the Bus Station on resort’s entrance as well as on the so called heliport. On the days of the competition a special access pass for Ski Parking “Studenets” is needed. There be also free bus transport for all ski fans from Chepelare and Smolyan who want to watch the race live” added Belyakov. The lift Bus Station-Studenetz will also be for free. Tickets for the specially built tribune from where the race can be best seen will be available at the desks at Ski Centre Studenets. The ticket price is 25 leva fr each of the competition days. The seats’ number is restricted to 100 a per day, but slalom can be seen for free from the side of the run. The Bulgarian National Television will broadcast both of the slaloms live. According to Belyakov the organization of the event took more than 1 million Bulgarian Leva. “I want to specially thank the Bulgarian Ski Federation for the granted support. The preparation for the prestigious starts took as more than a year” added Belyakov.

The president of the Bulgarian Ski Federation Mr. Tseko Minev was happy to announce that with the hosting of competition of such a rank Pamporovo is back on the European Ski Map after a 26 years break. “Here we welcome skiers like the silver medalist from the Olympics in Torina 2006, Reinfried Herbst and the star of the Japanese team, Naoki Yuasa added Minev. Both players will stay in Pamporovo till the World Cup Race in Bansko scheduled for the 18th and 19th this month.

HISTORY OF THE EUROPA SKI CUP IN PAMPOROVO

The first Europa Cup competition in Pamporovo dates back to 1981. The disciplines are men slalom and men giant slalom. The euphoria around the races is enormous. Among the contestants аre the 1979 World Cup winner Peter Lüscher  from Switzerland and plethora of other world class skiers. The Austrian Strolz takes the victory in the giant slalom and the Swedish Halvardson wins in the slalom. It is the present race director of Europa Cup Pamporovo and World Cup Bansko Valentin Stefanov who finishes 25^th and first among the Bulgarians in the giant slalom and Mitko Hadzhiev from the nearby town of Chepelare who finishes 11^th in the slalom. In 1983 Pamporovo becomes a real ski battle arena. Due to bad weather conditions and cancelled races in other European resorts in just 6 days from the 21^st to the 26 of March the resort hosts 6 ski races. The efforts from the local authorities and the whole neighboring town communities Smolyan and Chepelare are tremendous. Pamporovo provides organization at the highest level leaving an excellent impression in the world ski elite and consolidates as a world class ski resort. Bulgaria’s most successful alpine skier Peter Popangelov who has won here 2 years ago finishes 13^th in the giant slalom and Mitko Hadzhiev does even better finishing 10^th in the slalom. A year later Pamporovo is going to host the Europa Cup again, but the domination of the Austrian racers will be total.

Above all is the future Olympic Champion Thomas Stangassinger who wins in the slalom and finishes 3^rd in the giant slalom. Borislav Kiryakov finishes at the prestigious 11^th in the slalom. In 1985 the history of the Europa Cup Races continues with the women races. For the first time in the Cup there are teams from other continents represented by USA, New Zealand and Argentine.  The winner is Heidi Zürbrigen, sister of the famous Pirmin Zürbrigen and Pamporovo grows in popularity. The story continues with the races in 1986 with 84 competitors from 16 European and non-European states. The disciplines are slalom and giant slalom with Pepa Mitseva, the secretary in chief of the Bulgarian Ski Federation finishing 34^th, best among the Bulgarians. For 6 consecutive years Ski Zone Pamporovo hosts the Europa Cup gaining a reputation of a World Class Ski Resort and winning the hearts of the skiers with its mild climate and excellent piste conditions