FIS Athletes

Albert Popov

"Bansko is my favorite resort. Here I feel at home. The slopes are always well prepared, and people love winter sports. The competitions under Todorka peak become a holiday for both the competitors and the audience!"

Mikaela Shiffrin

"I heard about Bansko for the first time from my manager, Killian Albrecht, who competed for Bulgaria. He kept telling me that I have to race in Bansko. It turned out that he was right. I see that people here love skiing and love to show that Bulgaria is a wonderful place for this sport."

Alexis Pinturault

"I like it here in Bansko. I like to go to different resorts, and not to compete in one place. The race was very good and the atmosphere was really great. The competition was at a very high level."

Rado Yankov

"My dream was to compete in front of home audience. I hardly thought I would win. I have believed in myself, but I do not like to think about the ranking. I was confident in my ability and obviously it helped me…. The track was perfect. We have never had such a perfect track, everyone will tell you. The other athletes told me that it was the best track they had ever played in the World Cup."

Ted Ligety

"Bansko is a perfect place for skiing. The slope is fairly steep and can be a challenge for every one of the world's ski stars.

I am fascinated by what I saw in Bansko. This Bulgarian ski town is quite different. It is like a mixture of Aspen and Tijuana. You can walk down a street, where on one side is a 5-star hotel and on the other a small retail store selling trivials like Tijuana. The ski area itself is pretty cool. The gondola path is long and steep. The top of the main slope is very good and it looks like it's very beautiful on the sides."

Tina Maze

"I feel great in Bansko. I'm glad we competed on a perfectly prepared track and all the skiers were enjoying the wonderful day here."

Sani Zhekova

"Bansko is my favourite place. I feel Bansko as my second home and I am always very happy to compete under Todorka peak. The audience is always great and this makes the atmosphere of Bansko races unique."

Marcel Hirscher

"Bansko is a fantastic ski resort that is over 2,500 meters high. Modern lifts and perfectly groomed slopes. This shows us once again that skiing is much more widespread than we think. Also the races were perfectly organized and the whole environment like the finish area, the team hospitality, the slope preparation – all this was impeccable, even better than some negative examples back home in the Alps!"

Mario Matt

"Bansko is a great place, people are incredible, and the atmosphere during the races is fantastic. The whole weekend was great, and I want to come back in the summer together with Marcel Hirscher."

Lindsey Vonn

"It's great in Bansko and I'm surprised that there is such a big crowd interested in skiing. I hope there will be more competitions in Bansko – the slope is very technical, one of the best and the toughest in the World Cup."

Anna Veith

"Everything in Bansko is perfect – the slope, the organization and everything. I found this 3 years ago when I came here for the first time and now I have convinced again. I am looking forward to come back. The audience is also great! I heard them chanting my name 6 gates before the finish. The feeling is amazing, as if I was skiing in Austria. People here are amazing - they really have a special attitude to skiing."

Reinfried Herbst

"Bansko is a resort where the competitions are always very well organized. The slopes are perfect and allow competitors to show their true potential."

Ivica Kostelić

"I cannot compare Bansko with the other resorts, because each of them has its specifics, but surely Bansko is among the best winter centres in the world."

Felix Neureuther

"Bansko is a great ski resort. The Tomba run is really a serious challenge for the athletes. In Bansko I found pleasure of skiing again!"

Radoslav Yankov

Born on 26.01.1990. Debut for the World Cup - 16.01.2007. Winner of the World Cup in parallel disciplines in 2016. Winner of the Small World Cup in PGS - 2017. Has victories for WC in PGS and PSL.

What are your memories from your last participation in Bansko World Cup?

The last World Cup in Bansko was in 2018. It was also the last start before the Pyeongchang Olympics, I finished 4th in one of the two starts - narrowly missing the podium. The experience was great. A year earlier at the World cup, I experienced one of my happiest moments when I managed to get on the top step in front of our home crowd. A memory for a lifetime!

The World Cup is returning to Bulgaria after 5 years. What are your expectations?

I never set expectations for the competitions, but I am sure that it will be another unforgettable World Cup on home soil and I hope to be able to please everyone in Bulgaria again!

How do you think Bansko is preparing for the World Cup?

Bansko has proven itself as a resort that knows how to make a World Cup at the highest level. I am convinced that the upcoming World cup will be perfectly organized and will fascinate all those present and those watching from the small screen.

Tim Mastnak

Born on 31.01.1991. Debut for the World Cup - 22.01.2015. Beijing 2022 Olympics PGS Silver Medalist. PGS World Championship Bronze Medalist 2019. PSL 2019 Small World Cup Winner.

What are your memories from your last participation in Bansko World Cup?

I remember Bansko as one of the best races ever, even though I didn't have the best result. Everything was well organized and the crowd was amazing.

The World Cup is returning to Bulgaria after 5 years. What are your expectations?

I'm sure that it will be one of the best races again with a lot of spectators. I hope that conditions will be good and equal for everyone.

How do you think Bansko is preparing for the World Cup?

Bansko has a lot of experience with organizing events on the highest level. So, I'm sure that the organizing committee knows exactly what to do at that time of the year. I think they are preparing the slope and that program before and after the race will be interesting again.

Stefan Baumeister

Born on 18.04.1993. Debut for the World Cup - 25.01.2013. Won bronze medals in PGS and PSL from the 2019 World Championships. Has wins for WC in PSL, PGS, and PSL Team. Winner of the Small WC in PSL 2019 and PGS – 2022.

What are your memories from your last participation in Bansko World Cup?

I can remember my last race in Bansko very well. It was my first podium in a World Cup Race. The slope is not the easiest one on the calendar, but I like them very much.

The World Cup is returning to Bulgaria after 5 years. What are your expectations?

I'm super happy to return to Bulgaria. It's a very nice country and Bansko is a great resort for snowboarding. I'm excited to have a slalom race on this slope after the great giant slalom races we had.

How do you think Bansko is preparing for the World Cup?

I think Bansko will do a great job. The last races always were a highlight in the race calendar.

Claudia Rigler

Born on July 7, 1973. Debut for the World Cup - 23.01.1997. PGS World Champion in 2015. She won a medal (PGS) and a bronze medal (PSL) from the 2011 World Cup. She has World Cup wins in PGS, PSL, PSL team, and Snowboardcross.

What are your memories from your last participation in Bansko World Cup?

I always loved it in Bansko, the city, the people and the beautiful view, when you are up the Mountains!

The World Cup is returning to Bulgaria after 5 years. What are your expectations?
How do you think Bansko is preparing for the World Cup?

I always had good races there and loved the emotions of the crowd as always lots of spectators were watching the races.

I'm so happy that Bansko is back on our schedule! I'm sure we will get fantastic races as usual, with well-prepared slopes and a finish area with a huge crowd of loud people.

Ramona Hofmeister

What are your memories from your last participation in Bansko World Cup?

I have amazing memories from the last World Cups in Bansko. It was always so much fun! I like it there because the organization was really great. It would be a great place for World Champs.

The World Cup is returning to Bulgaria after 5 years. What are your expectations?

I think it will be one of the best World Cups of the season. I'm very excited.

How do you think Bansko is preparing for the World Cup?

I think Bansko is really motivated for the event. And they will do a professional organization.