WORLD SNOW DAY Sofia 2023 was truly magnificent once again! On Sunday, January 15, 2023, the world celebrated World Snow Day, and despite the weather oddities, we were part of the celebration. After a completely snowless start to this winter, the snow arriving just a few days before mid-January, and although scarce even high up in the mountains, it was more than enough to bring happy emotions to all who decided to get out into nature to delight on the holiday, and especially the children!

фотография © Владислав Георгиев / WWW.SKI.BG / WWW.BACKCOUNTRY.BG

For the 12th time in a row, Sofia participated in the celebration of WORLD SNOW DAY. This year the Bulgarian professional media for skiing, winter and outdoor sports, lifestyle and industry WWW.SKI.BG and WWW.BACKCOUNTRY.BG organized a celebration of WORLD SNOW DAY as one of the total of 141 events officially registered by FIS in 44 different countries around the world. Due to the total lack of snow in the city, this time the celebration was held in the nearby Vitosha mountain. Despite the unusually thin snow cover for the month of January even high in the mountains, the tradition was observed and the event offered free lessons in cross-country skiing and ski-walking, sledding, snow games and other fun activities on the snow to everyone.

The wonderful sunny, quiet and pleasantly warm weather on Sunday at the "Salzitsa" track near the sports base of "Alexander Logistics" on Vitosha contributed to even greater pleasure for all participants, especially the children.

The emphasis this year was once again on cross-country skiing and ski-walking - a wonderful winter sport that is extremely beneficial for the body and spirit and in which we have had significant successes and achievements in the past, but in recent years in Bulgaria it seems to remain on the background and does not enjoy as much interest as alpine skiing, especially among children. This sport does not require large investments in equipment and cash for lift tickets and is extremely pleasant and easy to practice almost anywhere there is snow cover, even in completely urban conditions.

Unfortunately, the very unusual climate over the Balkan Peninsula this winter left the Bulgarian mountains snowless almost until the middle of January, and the temperatures were more like spring. The fresh snow, which came accidentally at the last moment, managed to cover the "Salzitsa" cross-country skiing track, but without a preliminary base, its conditioning was not possible. In addition, in the Vitosha mountain, which is the oldest natural park in the Balkans, special regimes and restrictions are in place for the purpose of nature conservation. Therefore, technological installations for artificial snowmaking, which are increasingly necessary due to global climate change, cannot be used on this track. Another problem, that the responsible institutions will find a solution we hope soon, is the unregulated entry of cars onto the ski slope at night, which damages it. So, in the end, the track conditions this time were not ideal for professional training, but they were more than enough for the first steps in skiing.

The necessary ski equipment - skis, poles and boots - was provided again free of charge by the wardrobe of the sports base "Alexander Logistics" for all those who wished, and in addition, the organizers, as always, offered for free natural juices, treats and sweets, which children enjoyed the most. By tradition, all participants in the celebration received a special FIS World Snow Day scarf as a gift.

For another year, the professional coaches of the skiing activities on the World Snow Day were the multiple Balkan and republican cross-country skiing champion Veselin Tsinzov, who represented Bulgaria with dignity at the Winter Olympic Games in 2010, 2014 and 2018, as well as the legendary Petar Pankov - a national competitor in cross-country skiing, participant in the Winter Olympic Games in Grenoble in 1968, in Sapporo in 1972 and in Innsbruck in 1976, the only Bulgarian participant in the world-famous Vasalopet ski marathon, 14-time Bulgarian champion and 9-time Balkan champion , national coach, sports director and long-time ski figure. The two shared their invaluable experience with those who wanted to learn more about cross-country skiing and helped them try out how to walk with ski.

Fully in accordance with the concept of the FIS for the World Snow Day, the free open cross-country skiing lessons were attended not only by children and adults who came specially, but also by chance - nearby walking tourists and children with their parents. Most of them literally tried this wonderful sport for the first time and were captivated by it. Everyone remained happy and satisfied so far with nature and outdoor sports. All the children had fun in the snow, all the children enjoyed it, and at farewell they all confirmed that they would try again! If only because of this fact, the WORLD SNOW DAY SOFIA 2023 at SKI.BG was once again a success!

We hope that winter and real snow will still come to our mountains. Then, with suitable weather and snow conditions, we plan to repeat the snow festival in its full glory - with free cross-country skiing and ski-walking lessons, ski demonstrations and outdoor training, snow games and entertainment for children and their parents! Follow the news regularly on WWW.SKI.BG, so you don't miss it! See you soon!

Organizers of the WORLD SNOW DAY SOFIA 2023 are the Bulgarian professional media for skiing, winter and outdoor sports, lifestyle and industry WWW.SKI.BG and WWW.BACKCOUNTRY.BG together with Vitosha Sports Center "Alexander Logistics" and with the support of Marathon Association, SIVEN , Bryzos , JBL , AKG.

We are extremely grateful to Vitosha Sports Base "Alexander Logistics" and the Marathon Association, and especially personally to Vesko Tsinzov and Petar Pankov for their unreserved support and heartfelt dedication to holding the holiday for another year!

WORLD SNOW DAY is an initiative of the International Ski Federation (FIS) and aims to bring children between the ages of 4 and 14, together with their families, out into the nature, on the snow and ski slopes, within one day, filled with fun, various adventures and snow competitions.

For the 12th consecutive year on the occasion of World Snow Day, WWW.SKI.BG calls on all – children and parents, young people and their grandparents – to forget the dissensions, to take alpine or cross-country skis, boards, sledges or other winter equipment and wherever they have, to go outside – in the park, in the neighborhood garden, in front of the home or somewhere further out in nature. Let all together go outdoors and enjoy and entertain the endless snow!

WORLD SNOW DAY is celebrated on the third Sunday of January every year since 2012 and is part of the FIS international campaign "Bring children to the snow". WORLD SNOW DAY is one of FIS's key initiatives to promote snow activities as a healthy leisure activity, especially for young people. The annual snow festival for children and their families is a chance to discover something new, a time to have fun in and on the snow and a way to create wonderful memories and inspiration to continue enjoying the snow.

The World Snow Day is also celebrated this year with various initiatives on different days in January by the largest Bulgarian mountain resorts - Vitosha (Aleko), Bansko, Borovets, Malyovitsa, Pamporovo and Chepelare, as well as in some other places around the Bulgarian mountains.

For more details about the celebration of WORLD SNOW DAY, follow the news on WWW.SKI.BG, as well as the official FIS World Snow Day website www.world-snow-day.com !

SKI.BG
15 January 2023

photo © Vladislav Georgiev / WWW.SKI.BG / WWW.BACKCOUNTRY.BG

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