Bulgaria Ski discussion board

They have closed nearly a third of the mountain for the womans race at the end of the month.only the left hand side of the reds from the top is open then the right hand one,maybe no 2 is shut and so is anything right of it then the Tomba is shut.

If there is wind and they shut the top it hardly leaves ything to ski ! luckily it was not busy today, but half term is coming and the other pistes will deteriorate quickly if we do not get lots of snow.

It is annoying as they are running the snow cannons all day, but only the ones on the piste for the race.They only seem worried about that but surely the tourists are there real income.

Dave,

sorry to hear this. They closed Tomba for inspections when we were there 2 weeks ago, fortunately it reopened on the Saturday so we got to ski it. It will be good to watch the race but you are right that with the school kids on their way the open slopes will be even more packed and the snow will be cut up completely. They want to get it right this yr our instructor said as it means next yr the mens downhill will be hosted there if they do, hence the snow cannons running all day from the top of red 2 all the way down through tomba.

To all going out i'm sure you'll still have a fab time and if you are good intermediate/advanced then the blaclk and a half from the mid gondola station are nice runs too.

Rach

Mmmm, 10% of pistes given over to race, err no but anyway.... Val race week is fantastic, the Premier Neige was the highlight of the start to every season 12 of which i spent in Val/Tignes area. The town is gridlocked, the prices double (town and mountain), TV crews have preferance as do race teams and their support in mountain access, better restaurants and bars, accomadation etc... Team vans litter the valley causing delays for those `free buses' and that doesn't take into account the fans with their free tickets !!!!
It is fantastic though, the atmosphere, especially if you can get a good vantage point on the mountain (get up early, very early), first on lift or walk, but be prepared to be squeezed when you get to your point, my favourite was by the s`s near to the finish, surrounded by drunk Danes and Swedes, cowbells in hand....
Winter paradise its not, but an experience worth taking.
Personally i prefered the Hanakahm festival in Kitzbuhal, even madder

I got all reminesant then, ahhh memories...
To compare the imminent world championships in a resort with 450km of skiing to the hosting of a womens downhill and GS in a small BG resort is a bit daft, but some simularities still apply. It will bring credance to the area if a success, the exposure to world press/media, again if its a success, even Val'd'isere wants the exposure still even with their reputation. I cannot blame the organisers in Bansko to put every effort into the preparation (i will agree that prepping a slope 1 month before comp is a bit over the top), but what skiing is actually being lost, half a red from the top, red 4a and the bottom of Tomba. Personally there are better reds in resort than 4a, and definately a better black at Challin Valog. No one can say that half the mountain is unskiable...
Will be interesting to see how it turns out, last years Europa Cup event caused little in the way of supporters/fans or media frenzy, and i doubt very much that the madness of Kitzbuhal will descend on us...
(sadly )