Bulgarian best alpineer Albert Popov took third place in the giant slalom qualification from the World Ski Championships programme in Kurshevel and Meribel. The ace was the leader after the first inning, but in the second, he was ahead by 0.33 sec by Benjamin Zolos (ISR) and only 0.03 by Peter Habdas (Paul).
For Popov, it was the first start of a giant slalom since April last year, and despite that, it showed a steady ride. At the Beijing Olympics a year ago, he finished 15th in the giant slalom. Our other participants in the qualification today, Konstantin Stoilov and Kalin Zlatkov, finished 13th and 16th, respectively.
So tomorrow, there will be three representatives in Bulgaria’s giant slalom for men. In the giant women’s slalom, competing for Bulgaria, Louise Bertani took 35th place. For her, this is her world debut.
“Great atmosphere and competition, Congratulations to the winners. I am happy with my preparation but not my presentation today because I can do much more. Maybe I was a little more tense because it was my first world. I’ll also ride the slalom on Saturday, and I hope it will be fun,” Bertani said after the race.
Julia Zlatkova, who also started at the Women’s World Championship for the first time, took 42nd place. She said, “The race was great. Unfortunately, in the first half, I made a mistake before the final, and therefore in the second, I drove more reserved”.
Milush Manchev (SK YULEN) registered a new strong result in skiing. After winning the boy’s under-14 slalom in Zagreb days ago, he finished second in the giant slalom again there.
In the same age group, Dimitar Bozhkov (SC Rilets Samokov) is 14th, and Antonius Vitols (Vitosha Ski) is 21st. For girls up to 14, Margarita Beyazova (SC Moten) is seventh.
In the giant slalom for girls up to 16, Eva Koleva (SK Vitosha Ski) is fifth, and Elena Krishnyak (SK Moten) is 11th. Of the boys in this group, Mikhail Vakardzhiev (SK Green Road) is 7th, and Georgi Kovachki (SK Borovets) is 17th.
