site.btaAlbert Popov Achieves Season's First Top 10 Finish in World Cup Slalom

Bulgaria's Albert Popov came in 10th in the men's slalom during the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup event in Alta Badia on Monday. Popov was 19th after the first run, but a robust performance in the second run, when he clocked the third-best time, pushed him up to 10th place on an aggregate time of 1:47.77 min.

This is the Bulgarian's best result this season and the eighth World Cup top 10 finish in his career.

The slalom in Alta Badia was won by Norway's Timon Haugan on an aggregate time of 1:45.40 min. Switzerland's Loic Meillard placed second, 1.13 sec behind Haugan.

In the overall World Cup ranking, Popov is 51st on a score of 52 points. Swiss racer Marco Odermatt tops the ranking with 540 points. In the World Cup slalom ranking, Popov is 15th on 52 points, with Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway ranked 1st on 270 points.

"It's been extremely hard today," Popov told the Bulgarian Ski Federation after Monday's slalom. "I had difficulties in the first run, I couldn't fit in and couldn't feel the terrain, so I went relatively slow. I hoped to make it into the top 30, and I did. I knew that if I did it, I would do my best in the second run. I was able to ski well in the second run, there were not so many ski tracks down the course. I demonstrated what I was capable of. It was an extremely hard day, but eventually I had a good finish, which I hope will energize me, so that I can start the new year on a positive note and make it into the top 10 much more often."

Popov is expected to participate in five slalom races in January before competing in the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in February. "I'll just say that my favourite competitions are coming up. I'm getting in shape, my confidence is growing," he commented.