In the last 4 years over 40 million were invested in the ski resort, making it the fastest developing winter centre in East Europe. At the moment Bansko is a favourite place for all popular Bulgarian personalities, sportsmen and thousands of ski-fans, who keep coming here knowing they could get the best.

Today the ski area above Bansko has over 70 kilometres of ski runs. 14 maintenance vehicles and the state-of the art snow system guarantees easy skiing for six months – from December to May.

A modern lift Doppelmayr Gondola ropeway takes you to the 17 well groomed ski runs of the resort – right in the heart of Pirin Mountain – in minutes. That is where the true winter-tale begins.

No doubt that the “Tomba” run is the most attractive, but also the most difficult in the area. Its qualities were assessed by the godfather Alberto Tomba and the other stars – Franz Klammer, Rosi Mittermaier, Marc Girardelli, Hristo Stoychkov and the best Bulgarian skier Petar Popangelov. The excellent characteristics of “Tomba” run made it host a round of Europa Cup from FIS Calendar, all national ski and snowboard championships and also of the starts for the Balkan Cup.

In less than two months Bansko will host men’s World Cup competitions in Alpine skiing for the first time. This sporting event will be the biggest in Bulgaria for 2011. The one and only detachable platform in the Balkans seating 5000 people will be constructed in Banderishka Poliana for the Men’s World Cup events in Bansko (super combined on 26th February and slalom on 27th February).

This greatest 2011 sporting event in Bulgaria will take place on the Banderitsa ski slope. The investment for the large-scale project, the implementation of which has involved about 1000 of staff, is worth about BGN 5 million. Half of the funds will be secured by the government, more specifically the Ministry of Physical Education and Sport. The rest of the resources will be provided by the event major sponsors – Audi, Milka, Generali, First Investment Bank. Bansko Municipality will also make a financial contribution to the event.

On the first day of the event the best skiers from all over the world will take part in the super combined race (super G at 10 a.m. and one-run slalom at 1 p.m.). The second day will carry on with the slalom (1st run at 10 a.m. and 2nd run at 2 p.m.).

The public bib draw for the two race events will take place on 25th and 26th February respectively at 6 p.m. in the town square.

The two-day event in Bansko is expected to attract leading international media and the world’s ski elite. The starts of the Men’s World Cup are the first in the history of alpine skiing to take place in the leading winter resort of the Balkans – Bansko and are expected to be broadcast live all over the world by over 20 TV channels and viewed by 200 million viewers.”The interest the media have taken in the events is great”, said Mr Bobev. “Some 300 journalists have already applied for accreditation”.

For more information on the upcoming events and accreditation procedures, please go to the official site of the races: www.worldcup-bansko.com

RACE SLOPE