The Bank provides additional cash bonuses for medal of the Bulgarian athletes

From 18 to 26 February 2013 Bansko will host the Open European Biathlon Championship, which will be held with the general sponsorship of United Bulgarian Bank (UBB). UBB provides additional cash bonuses for the Bulgarian biathletes who win medals from the races - respectively 4000 leva for gold, 3000 for silver and 2000 for bronze medal. This was announced today at a press conference just a week before the start of the Old Continents’ biathlon championship. Ekaterina Dafovska, president of Bulgarian Biathlon Federation, Svilen Neykov, minister of physical education and sports, Anka Kostova, PR and Sponsorship manager at UBB and a representative of one of the companies that support the championship took part in the press conference.

"In recent years we do everything possible to improve the sports facilities across the country. Our goal is to provide a venue, where we can welcome high-class races such as the Open European Biathlon Championship. The ministry provided 600,000 leva for the conduction of the championship, whereas we hope we will demonstrate a very high level of organization," the minister Svilen Neykov said. He is also the Honorary President of the Organizing Committee of the championship.

"UBB believed in the biathlon and the people who run the federation. We are proud the Bulgarian biathletes become better and better. It is an exceptional privilege for our country to host the Open European Championships and we are happy to be able to support this success," Anka Kostova, PR and Sponsorship manager at UBB said.

Almost 400 athletes from 35 countries will take part in the race at "Banderitsa" stadium. At the race Bulgaria will be with a full quota of players. The biathletes will compete for medals in five disciplines - individual, sprint, pursuit, mixed relay and relay.

BNT1 and Eurosport will broadcast live the most interesting races from the championship - sprint and pursuit for men and women. The sprints for men and women will be held on February 23 (Saturday), respectively at 10:30 and 15:00. Pursuit is on the following day, whereas the start for men is scheduled at 12:00 and that for women in 15:45.

Program

February 19, 2013

19:30 - Official Opening

February 20, 2013

10:00 - 12.5 km Individual, girls

13:00 - 15 km Individual, youth

February 21, 2013

10:00 - 15 km Individual, women

13:00 - 20 km Individual, male

February 22, 2013

10:00 - 7.5 km Sprint, girls

13:00 - 10 km Sprint, youth

February 23, 2013

10:30 - 10 km Sprint men

15:00 - 7.5 km Sprint Women

February 24, 2013

11:00 - 12.5 km Pursuit, youth

12:00 - 12.5 km Pursuit, men

14:30 - 10 km Pursuit, girls

15:45 - 10 km Pursuit, women

February 25, 2013

11:00 - 2x6 + 2x7.5 km Mixed Relay, Women, Men

February 26, 2013

10:00 - 4x7.5 km Relay, Men

13:00 - 4x6 km Relay, Women