Bulgaria’s Vladi Zografski Makes History with First World Cup Podium

Bulgarian ski jumper Vladimir Zografski achieved a landmark moment in his career, securing his first-ever podium finish in a World Cup competition. The historic result came in Lahti after Slovenia’s Domen Prevc, who initially appeared to have won the event, was disqualified during the post-competition equipment inspection. As a result, Zografski moved up from fourth place to third in the final standings.

Prevc had produced the longest jump of the competition, reaching 129 meters and earning 138.8 points, which seemed enough to secure him an early victory and a record seventh consecutive World Cup win. However, officials later determined that his skis exceeded the permitted length by one centimeter. The violation led to his disqualification, reshuffling the results and opening the door for Zografski to step onto the podium.

With Prevc removed from the standings, Germany’s Philipp Raimund was declared the winner. The Olympic champion on the small hill recorded a jump of 122.5 meters, collecting 129.3 points to take first place. Austria’s Daniel Tschofenig finished second after jumping 124.5 meters and receiving a total of 128.6 points.

Zografski matched Tschofenig’s distance with a jump of 124.5 meters but received slightly lower style scores, which left him with 127.2 points overall and secured third place. Despite the narrow margin, the result marked a breakthrough moment for the Bulgarian athlete.

Until now, Zografski’s best World Cup finish had been fourth place, also achieved in Finland earlier this season. That performance came in Ruka on November 29, but the Lahti competition finally brought him onto the podium for the first time in a men’s World Cup event, marking a significant milestone in his career.