Historic Day in Bansko: Tervel Zamfirov Wins World Cup as Two Bulgarians Reach the Podium

For the first time in the history of Bulgarian alpine snowboarding, the national flag was raised at the very top of a World Cup podium, with two Bulgarians finishing among the medalists. Tervel Zamfirov claimed a landmark victory in the men’s parallel giant slalom at the Alpine Snowboarding World Cup event in Bansko, edging Austria’s Fabian Obmann by just 0.15 seconds. The triumph marked Zamfirov’s first World Cup win and earned him 100 points for the overall standings. Radoslav Yankov added to the historic result with a bronze medal, collecting 60 points.

Bulgaria’s guaranteed place on the podium was secured earlier in the day after outstanding performances by both Zamfirov and Yankov in the quarterfinals. Their wins meant they would face each other in the semifinals, ensuring at least one Bulgarian medal. Yankov produced a major upset in the opening elimination round by defeating Italian Aaron March, the leader in the overall World Cup standings. Zamfirov, meanwhile, eliminated three-time world champion and last year’s Bansko winner Andreas Prommegger.

The quarterfinals brought further high-profile victories. Yankov knocked out Austria’s Benjamin Karl, the Olympic champion and winner of Saturday’s race, while Zamfirov advanced after Italy’s Maurizio Bormolini made a costly error during his run. In the all-Bulgarian semifinal, Yankov fell on the course beneath Todorka Peak, allowing Zamfirov to progress to the final. In the other semifinal, Obmann defeated Germany’s Yannic Angenend.

The final was decided by the narrowest of margins, with Zamfirov holding his nerve to beat Obmann by 0.15 seconds. Yankov secured third place after overtaking Angenend in the small final. This victory is only the second World Cup win by a Bulgarian snowboarder in Bansko, following Yankov’s success in 2017, when he also finished second. Overall, Bulgaria now has five podium finishes at this venue, including Yankov’s third place earlier this season.

The medal ceremony was led by Bulgarian Ski Federation president Tseko Minev and the mayor of Bansko, Stoycho Banenski, in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.

In the women’s parallel giant slalom, Bulgarian teenager Malena Zamfirova saw her run end in the quarterfinals after a strong performance against one of the sport’s biggest names. The 16-year-old was narrowly beaten by German star Ramona Theresia Hofmeister, who overtook her on the blue course by 0.76 seconds. Earlier, Malena had chosen the blue track on the Alberto Tomba course at Banderishka Polyana and defeated Canada’s Lanxi Wei in the round of 16. She had placed fifth in the morning qualification.

Hofmeister’s run ended in the semifinals, where she was stopped by Japan’s Tsubaki Miki, the current World Cup leader. In the other semifinal, Italians Elisa Caffont and Lucia Dalmasso went head-to-head, with Caffont advancing after Dalmasso fell. The final saw Caffont produce a late surge to beat Miki by just 0.14 seconds and take the women’s victory.

After his breakthrough win, Tervel Zamfirov said there would be little time for celebrations, as he is preparing for a university exam in the coming days. Speaking to reporters, he described the success as the fulfillment of a long-held dream.

He said he had always hoped his first World Cup victory would come in Bansko, praising the high level of competition and excellent conditions. Zamfirov added that hearing the support from the fans gave him a feeling of having wings. Reflecting on the future, he said the result was only one step along the way and that discovering his true limits would take many more years.

Zamfirov also spoke about balancing sport and education, explaining that he sees himself as divided between two roles, one focused on competition and the other on his studies. His upcoming exam, he said, remains a priority, and he does not believe sporting success automatically translates into academic results. He also noted the personal significance of the moment, sharing that his father, who is also his coach, was proud not only of the result but of the many hours of work behind it, calling the victory a validation of the effort invested by the entire team.