Despite bad weather conditions and incessant snow, Bulgaria’s national Albert Popov qualified third in the slalom at the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in Palisades Tahoe in the US.

After legendary skier Petar Popangelov, who vied with the best alpine ski racer of all time Jan Ingemar Stenmark in the 1980s, 39 years later Albert Popov achieved the best time in the second run (54.06 seconds), after qualifying 25^th in the first with 53.65 seconds. Winner in the first and second run in the overall rankings was 2022 junior world champion Alexander Steen Olsen, Norway, followed by Timon Haugan, again Norway.

After the race Albert Popov wrote on Facebook: “It was a childhood dream day – the podium in a World Cup race! I am lost for words, it is impossible to describe the joy of the entire team for a job well done!”

Bulgaria’s last World Cup podium was on 16 December, 1984 in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy when Petar Popangelov came third in the slalom. He is also the only Bulgarian competitor to have won the first place in alpine skiing in Lenggries, Germany in 1980. Popangelov is multiple national and Balkan champion, three-times world student champion in the slalom – in Spain in 1981, in Bulgaria in 1983 and in Czechoslovakia in 1987.