Exciting news folks, it is SNOWING!!! There’s already some snow coverage in the mountains. Osogovo Funpark just opened the new season this weekend. Soon other Bulgarian resorts will also be ready for the new winter season. You might be wondering why I am not there now, well I have papers due and the finals are also coming. However, you might expect a snowboarding video of my friends and me after the next weekend 🙂 For my blog post this week, I’ve prepared for you an interesting story about the foundation of one of the contemporary snowboard clubs in Bulgaria – Club Tandra.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JepGTPzfHQM
Photographers and videographers: Martin Radnev, Petar Milev, Teodor Asenov, Lyuba Popova
Sport club “Tandra” was established in 2007 as a pretty local club in Blagoevgrad and Bansko. The name was creatively chosen from the names of two of the parents of the founders, Tanya and Drago. Although everything started from a small group of enthusiasts, the club had 20 members, actively participating in national competitions, for the season 2012-2013. Even more people are expected to join the crew this winter. Just for now, the new number is 25 participants with age range between 16 and 34. I would like to mention, that I am also part of the crew.
“Well, it is really difficult to say who the actual founders are. The founders are written only on documents. Basically, “Tandra” club started as a crew of friends, willing to spend their time skiing and snowboarding together.” said in an online interview the current manager of the club Petar Milev. Unfortunately, he is now outside the country, so I could not record a video with him.
The Trainer, as other members of the club call him, is really passionate about all winter sports. He explained, that he didn’t remember any concrete reason for establishing of the club. The basic ideas of his friends and him were to popularize snowboarding first in Blagoevgrad and the region and then in Bulgaria, to spread the zeal they have and to educate beginners, giving them the knowledge, the crew had gained through the years.
At the beginning, the members of “Tandra” were not interested in any competitions or national winter tournaments. They just wanted to have fun, skiing and snowboarding, finding breathtaking places that have never been ridden before. Now, the members regularly attend different competition or events for winter sports. Dimitar Naydenov won a silver medal in the National Border cross series in Borovets Resort, Bulgaria.
“Everyone who wants to join the club is welcome! Basically, you pay the annual membership fee and you are already in, there are no skills required. If you are passionate enough, you will learn everything,” said Petar.
Snowboard ON 