Best Ski Season Ever for Bulgaria

The Bulgarian Ski Federation and the Sofia 2014 Bid Committee announced today that the 2005-2006 ski season drew record visitors to Bulgaria. A celebration event was held at Sofialand and featured the resorts of Bansko and Borovetz – the two mountain venues for Sofia 2014’s bid for the Olympic Winter Games.
“We are ecstatic with the attendance at Bulgarian winter sports destinations,” stated Tseko Minev, President of the Bulgarian Ski Federation. “The world is recognizing the amazing snow, fantastic accommodations and warm people of Bulgaria. Sofia 2014 captures all of this.”

Bansko, the proposed Sofia 2014 venue for alpine skiing and biathlon events had an increase of 35 percent from last year’s season. Borovetz, where all snowboard, cross-country and ski jumping events are planned for Sofia 2014, reports of a 10-percent increase in comparison to last year.
International skiing legends like Marc Girardelli and Rosi Mittermaier all extended their strong congratulations to Bulgaria. Girardelli said: “When I opened the 2005-2006 ski season at Bansko with Rosi Mittermeier and Franz Klamer, I called Bansko ‘the new gem of deep snow skiing.’ We all love Bansko and look forward to seeing Bulgaria host the big winter events.”

Sofia is one of seven cities in the bidding for the Olympic Winter Games of 2014. The International Olympic Committee will nominate the Candidate Cities on 22 June 2006 and the final city will be selected in July 2007.