Young Bulgarians are coming for snowboard alpine excellence

The athletes from Italy and Austria have long dominated the sport of Snowboard Alpine. There may be a new nation nipping at their heels if you look East.

Bulgaria was once a smaller team led by Radoslav Yankov carrying his country’s banner in the sport. Teodora Pentcheva led the way for the small women’s team. Yankov continues to succeed but is joined by a talented young crop of snowboarders who are already shaking up the sport despite coming from a smaller nation far from the Alps.

The young Bulgarians were making waves in years past but this season they came crashing in like a tidal wave.

Tervel Zamfirov, 20, led the way by stunning the snowboard world with gold in the PSL of the senior world championships in March. He had yet to even make a senior-level podium before taking the title.

The world title went alongside his sweep of the of the junior world championship gold medals as Zamfirov won the PGS and PSL titles. He also took the mixed team event alongside his sister Malena Zamfirova.

Despite all his success, Zamfirov is nowhere near satisfied.

That system he references is the Bulgarian snowboard developmental program. A truly family affair as Zamfirov’s father has helped spearhead a movement to create snowboard alpine stars in the sport.

Zamfirov’s father Anatoliy worked with the Bulgarian ski and snowboard federation and their resources laid the foundation for Zamfirov’s early success. The rising star said his father learned much about junior development programs and combined his medical experience to spread the knowledge throughout the Bulgarian program. There is also a strong level of competition amongst the team.

It is a system based on hard work, scientific analysis and mental training. Zamfirov’s generation is the first to be raised on this developed training.

It has worked for Zamfirov and his sister as well who took two silvers at the junior world championships this year. She also beat the mighty Ramona Theresia Hofmeister in a world cup event this season to earn second-place for her first senior-level podium. 

She credits some of her success to training in multiple sports during her youth, giving her a mental cutting edge and dynamic physical abilities. However, the program runs deep through Malena’s results as well.

The Zamfirov’s are not alone as Bulgarians rising the ranks, especially on the men’s side. At the 2024 junior world championships Bulgarians took second through fifth in the PGS event and swept the podium in the PSL race.

The PGS finishers from second to fifth were Zamfirov, Petar Gergyovski, Kristian Georgiev, Alexander Krashniak. Then Georgiev, Zamfirov and Gergyovski went 1-2-3 in the PSL.

The other team members are outspoken about the developmental program as well.

These medals have been years in the making even if the riders are still in the early stages of their careers.

Georgiev agreed with Malena and pointed out the diversity of the training program and the riders freedom to play other sports growing up.

It All Leads Back to Rado

Many of the young snowboarders mentioned one influence that is a major part of the program’s makeup, Radoslav Yankov. The world cup veteran trains with younger members of the team during gaps in his hectic schedule. He has been a longstanding figure to look up too, inspiring the Bulgarian youth for years.

Yankov’s involvement in youth development was intentional.

Yankov not only acts as an inspirational role model, but he also gives hands-on coaching to his younger teammates. He also feels like a proud father when he sees their success, even if it is at his own expense.

He also hosts the Rado Yankov Cup which held its fifth edition this year. Nearly 100 children took part this season with snowboarders as young as six years old. Yankov believes events like these are the grassroots for the sport’s growth in Bulgaria. He wants to help them conquer their fears on the board at an early age.

Those at the Top have Noticed too

Tzeko Minev, President of the Bulgarian Ski Federation has noticed the sport’s dramatic growth in his home nation.

He knows that growth started with Yankov and elements of the federation’s program was a direct result of Yankov’s success.

The first year had 25 racers in the U13 category and 26 in the U15 division. This season 60 children played in divisions across U13-19.

Bulgaria also hosts world cup races in Bansko. More than 10,000 fans have gathered at races in Bansko over the years, another sign of Bulgaria’s newfound love for the sport.

Georgi Bobev, Vice President of the Bulgarian Ski Federation was a key member of mapping out this program and is also proud of the results.

It will not be long before Bulgaria is challenging for the nations cup title in their new favorite sport.