Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Article taken from The Scotsman:

A friend of Prince Harry was today mourning the loss of his father who died in a skiing accident during a family holiday in Bulgaria.

Martin Hitchman, 54, from Northleach in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds, was enjoying a week-long Christmas holiday with his twin sons when he lost control on a black run at the Bansko ski resort.

His sons Edward and Matthew, who are in their early 20s, flew home to be with their stepfather last night.

Edward plays polo with Prince Harry and the pair played on the same team for the Young England verses Young Australia series at Windsor last year.

Mr Hitchman’s business partner, William Colquhoun, said his friend and colleague was an experienced skier.

He said: “We are devastated and feel very sorry for his twin sons at this terrible time.

“Martin was an experienced skier and had a very warm heart. He was a good businessman and a good father.”

The pair were directors of Cotswold Garden Products, which makes cast aluminium garden furniture that has been exhibited at the Chelsea Garden Show.

Mr Colquhoun said Mr Hitchman had travelled to Bulgaria with his sons on December 18. They were due to return home on Boxing Day.

It is understood that Edward was at ski school and Matthew, who is studying at Exeter University, was already on the slopes when they heard about their father’s accident.

At first they thought he had just broken his leg and a doctor at a hospital in nearby city of Razlog had to break the tragic news.

The brothers flew home to be comforted by their step-father William Hitch at their home in Winchcombe near Cheltenham.

Mr Hitch told the Gloucestershire Echo: “Everyone’s completely shaken up.

“When the boys called to tell me what happened, I couldn’t believe it.

“It’s an understatement to say this is a terrible time for the whole family.”

Eyewitnesses at the Bansko resort described how Mr Hitchman ploughed into deep snow and was propelled head-first into nearby rocks.

He died from severe head and spinal injuries.

A Foreign Office spokesman confirmed a British man had died at the resort.

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It looks to me as though while skiing down a black run he lost control and went off piste, then hit rocks as a result. My condolenses to the man and his family.

Any chance this accident could have been due to a lack of snow on the piste / improper piste maintenance? Any ideas which run it was?

I'm in Bansko, but i'm worried about commenting too much on the conditions on the slopes as have not been on them. Talking to a few people who were out yesterday they have said that due to the weather conditions over the last few days the slopes are fairly icy. But like I say this is not first hand information. I will be on the slopes tomorrow so then I can say first hand, but I am new to skiing although have been a couple of times before so don't place much weight on my take of the conditions.

You might like to read the reply I wrote to Mr Bulgaria Ski's comment of 25/12/04! I too skied the black run on that day and several days after. One thing that might have helped Mr Hitchman was a helmet (maybe he was wearing one, I don't know) but I never venture out onto the slopes without mine. Hopefully more people in the future will take to wearing protective headgear - we wearers are definitely in the minority at the moment - but we have to accept that we partake in a VERY dangerous sport.

My deepest sympathies go to his family and particularly to his sons. What a tragic way for their Christmas holiday to end.