Bulgarian Figure Skating Championships
The Bulgarian Figure Skating Championships (Bulgarian: Първенство на България по фигурно пързаляне) are an annual figure skating competition organized by the Bulgarian Skating Federation (Bulgarian: Българска федерация по кънки) to crown the national champions of Bulgaria. The first Bulgarian Championships were held in 1954 in Sofia.
| Bulgarian Figure Skating Championships | |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Genre | National championships |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Venue | Winter Sports Palace |
| Location | Sofia |
| Country | |
| Inaugurated | 1954 |
| Organized by | Bulgarian Skating Federation |
Medals are awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance at the senior and junior levels, although every discipline may not necessarily be held every year due to a lack of participants. Ivan Dinev currently holds the record for winning the most Bulgarian Championship titles in men's singles (with fifteen), while Evgenia Nikolova holds the record in women's singles (with ten). Elizaveta Makarova and Leri Kenchadze hold the record in pair skating (with four), although Kenchadze won an additional title with a different partner. Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski hold the record in ice dance (with eleven), and Denkova won an additional two titles with a previous partner.
History
editThere is evidence of skating in Bulgaria as early as 1929 with the establishment of skating clubs and the staging of a public exhibition of figure skating and speed skating. Skating was most common at the Borisova gradina, the oldest and most well-known public park in Sofia. More than 10,000 people participated in ice skating in Sofia.[1] After World War II, progress in skating stalled due to the lack of indoor ice rinks and inadequate equipment. The Bulgarian Skating and Ice Hockey Federation was founded in 1949 to oversee figure skating, speed skating, and ice hockey in Bulgaria. The first Bulgarian Figure Skating Champions were held in 1954 at the Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia. The winners of the inaugural men's and women's events were Georgi Hristov and Elisaveta Ivanova, respectively. Bulgaria joined the International Skating Union in 1967. In 1985, The Bulgarian Skating and Ice Hockey Federation was split to form separate federations for figure skating, speed skating, and ice hockey.[2]
Senior medalists
editMen's singles
edit| Year | Location | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Sofia | Ivan Hristov | |||
| 1955 | |||||
| 1956 | |||||
| 1957 | |||||
| 1958 | |||||
| 1959 | |||||
| 1960 | Ivan Hristov | ||||
| 1961 | Todor Barzov | ||||
| 1962 | Borislav Vandov | ||||
| 1963 | Dimitar Stefanov | ||||
| 1964 | Alexander Penchev | [3] | |||
| 1965 | Borislav Vandov | Alexander Penchev | S. Popov | [4] | |
| 1966 | |||||
| 1967 | Emil Dimitrov | ||||
| 1968 | Alexander Penchev | ||||
| 1969 | Nikolai Ianev | ||||
| 1970 | Volodya Kanev | ||||
| 1971 | Nikolai Yanev | Alexander Penchev | Pl. Nikolov | [5] | |
| 1972 | Volodya Kanev | ||||
| 1973 | |||||
| 1974 | |||||
| 1975 | |||||
| 1976 | |||||
| 1977 | |||||
| 1978 | |||||
| 1979 | Boyko Aleksiev | ||||
| 1980 | |||||
| 1981 | No other competitors | [6] | |||
| 1982 | |||||
| 1983 | |||||
| 1984 | [7] | ||||
| 1985 | [8] | ||||
| 1986 | |||||
| 1987 | No other competitors | [9] | |||
| 1988 | Alexander Mladenov | ||||
| 1989 | |||||
| 1990 | |||||
| 1991 | Hristo Turlakov | Ivan Dinev | |||
| 1992 | Ivan Dinev[10] | Hristo Turlakov | |||
| 1993 | |||||
| 1994 | Sofia | No other competitors | [11] | ||
| 1995 | |||||
| 1996 | |||||
| 1997 | |||||
| 1998 | Naiden Borichev | ||||
| 1999 | |||||
| 2000 | |||||
| 2001 | [12] | ||||
| 2002 | |||||
| 2003 | [13] | ||||
| 2004 | Naiden Borichev | Hristo Turlakov | [14] | ||
| 2005 | Georgi Kenchadze | [15] | |||
| 2006 | Georgi Kenchadze | Ivan Dimitrov | [16] | ||
| 2007 | Naiden Borichev | No other competitors | |||
| 2008 | No other competitors | [17] | |||
| 2009 | Georgi Kenchadze | [18] | |||
| 2010 | [19] | ||||
| 2011 | No competition held | ||||
| 2012 | Manol Atanassov | No other competitors | [20] | ||
| 2013 | [21] | ||||
| 2014 | Yasen Petkov | Pavel Savinov | No other competitors | [22] | |
| 2015 | Ivo Gatovski | No other competitors | [23] | ||
| 2016 | Yasen Petkov | [24] | |||
| 2017 | Nicky-Leo Obreykov | Ivo Gatovski | No other competitors | [25] | |
| 2018 | Aleksander Zlatkov | [26] | |||
| 2019 | [27] | ||||
| 2020 | Larry Loupolover | Nicky-Leo Obreykov | [28] | ||
| 2021 | Competition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | [29] | |||
| 2022 | Larry Loupolover | Radoslav Marinov | Aleksander Zlatkov | [30] | |
| 2023 | Beat Schümperli | Filip Kaimakchiev | [31] | ||
| 2024 | Aleksander Zlatkov | [32] | |||
| 2025 | [33] | ||||
| 2026 | Filip Kaimakchiev | Larry Loupolover | [34] | ||
Women's singles
edit| Year | Location | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Sofia | Elisaveta Ivanova | |||
| 1955 | |||||
| 1956 | |||||
| 1957 | |||||
| 1958 | |||||
| 1959 | |||||
| 1960 | Lyubka Tomova | ||||
| 1961 | |||||
| 1962 | Evgenia Nikolova | ||||
| 1963 | |||||
| 1964 | [3] | ||||
| 1965 | A. Miteva | [4] | |||
| 1966 | |||||
| 1967 | |||||
| 1968 | Emilia Kamenova | ||||
| 1969 | |||||
| 1970 | |||||
| 1971 | V. Cholakova | R. Yoncheva | [5] | ||
| 1972 | Eva Drumeva | ||||
| 1973 | |||||
| 1974 | Ludmila Plaharova | ||||
| 1975 | |||||
| 1976 | |||||
| 1977 | Tsvetanka Alexandrova | ||||
| 1978 | Margarita Dimitrova | ||||
| 1979 | |||||
| 1980 | |||||
| 1981 | Tsvetanka Alexandrova | ||||
| 1982 | Tatiana Yordanova | ||||
| 1983 | |||||
| 1984 | Svetla Staneva | Petya Gavazova | Vessela Baycheva | [7] | |
| 1985 | Petya Gavazova | Svetla Staneva | [8] | ||
| 1986 | Biliana Vladimirova | ||||
| 1987 | Petya Gavazova | Svetla Staneva | No other competitors | [9] | |
| 1988 | Asia Aleksieva | ||||
| 1989 | Tsvetelina Yankova | ||||
| 1990 | Milena Marinovich | ||||
| 1991 | Viktoria Dimitrova | ||||
| 1992 | |||||
| 1993 | |||||
| 1994 | Sofia Penkova | Tsvetelina Abrasheva | No other competitors | [11] | |
| 1995 | |||||
| 1996 | |||||
| 1997 | |||||
| 1998 | |||||
| 1999 | Anna Dimova | Sonia Radeva | |||
| 2000 | Hristina Vassileva | ||||
| 2001 | Sonia Radeva | Nina Ivanova | [12] | ||
| 2002 | Sonia Radeva | ||||
| 2003 | Sonia Radeva | Nina Ivanova | [13] | ||
| 2004 | Sonia Radeva | Hristina Vassileva | Lilia Dimitrova | [14] | |
| 2005 | Nina Ivanova | [15] | |||
| 2006 | Manuela Stanukova | [16] | |||
| 2007 | No other competitors | ||||
| 2008 | Nina Ivanova | [17] | |||
| 2009 | Manuela Stanukova | [18] | |||
| 2010 | Daniela Paskaleva | Hristina Vassileva | [19] | ||
| 2011 | No competition held | ||||
| 2012 | Daniela Stoeva | No other competitors | [20] | ||
| 2013 | Anna Afonkina | Daniela Stoeva | No other competitors | [21] | |
| 2014 | [22] | ||||
| 2015 | Daniela Stoeva | No other competitors | [23] | ||
| 2016 | Hristina Vassileva | Elizaveta Makarova | [24] | ||
| 2017 | Alexandra Feigin | Teodora Markova | Monika Yordanova | [25] | |
| 2018 | Presiyana Dimitrova | Simona Gospodinova | Svetoslava Ryadkova | [26] | |
| 2019 | Alexandra Feigin | Kristina Grigorova | [27] | ||
| 2020 | Simona Gospodinova | [28] | |||
| 2021 | Competition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | [29] | |||
| 2022 | Kristina Grigorova | Ivelina Baicheva | Simona (Gospodinova) Georgieva | [30] | |
| 2023 | Alexandra Feigin | Kristina Grigorova | [31] | ||
| 2024 | Daniela Nikolova | [32] | |||
| 2025 | Galena Todorova | [33] | |||
| 2026 | Anastasia Yurchuk | [34] | |||
Pairs
edit| Year | Location | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Sofia | ||||
| 1991 | |||||
| 1992 | |||||
| 1993 | |||||
| 1994 | No pairs competitors | [11] | |||
| 1995 | |||||
| 1996 | |||||
| 1997 | N. Vlahova / A. Korchuchanov | ||||
| 1998 | |||||
| 1999 | |||||
| 2000 | |||||
| 2001 | No pairs competitors | [12] | |||
| 2002 | |||||
| 2003 | |||||
| 2004 | No other competitors | [14] | |||
| 2005 | [15] | ||||
| 2006 | [16] | ||||
| 2007 |
|
||||
| 2008 | No pairs competitors | [17] | |||
| 2009 |
|
No other competitors | [18] | ||
| 2010 |
|
No other competitors | [19] | ||
| 2011 | No competition held | ||||
| 2012 | No other competitors | [20] | |||
| 2013 | [21] | ||||
| 2014 | [22] | ||||
| 2015 | [23] | ||||
| 2016–26 | No pairs competitors since 2015 | ||||
Ice dance
editAlbena Denkova and Maxim Staviski, eleven-time Bulgarian champions ice dance, received the Order of Stara Planina, the highest honor that Bulgarian citizens can receive,[35] in April 2007 from Georgi Parvanov, President of Bulgaria, for their contributions to sport in Bulgaria.[36] In 2012, the first edition of the Denkova-Staviski Cup – an international figure skating competition named in honor of Denkova and Staviski – was held for the first time at the Winter Sports Palace in Sofia.[37]
| Year | Location | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Sofia | ||||
| 1955 | |||||
| 1956 | |||||
| 1957 | |||||
| 1958 | |||||
| 1959 | |||||
| 1960 | |||||
| 1961 | |||||
| 1962 | |||||
| 1963 | |||||
| 1964 | |||||
| 1965 | |||||
| 1966 | |||||
| 1967 | |||||
| 1968 | E. Nikolova / G. Velchev | ||||
| 1969 | |||||
| 1970 | |||||
| 1971 | |||||
| 1972 | |||||
| 1973 | |||||
| 1974 | |||||
| 1975 | |||||
| 1976 | |||||
| 1977 | |||||
| 1978 | |||||
| 1979 | |||||
| 1980 | |||||
| 1981 | |||||
| 1982 | |||||
| 1983 | |||||
| 1984 | |||||
| 1985 | |||||
| 1986 | |||||
| 1987 | [9] | ||||
| 1988 | A. Raykova / P. Dimitrov | ||||
| 1989 | Petya Gavazova / Nikolay Tonev | ||||
| 1990 | |||||
| 1991 | Maria Hadjiiska / Hristo Nikolov | ||||
| 1992 |
|
||||
| 1993 | |||||
| 1994 | No other competitors | [11] | |||
| 1995 | D. Aleksandrova / R. Yordanov | ||||
| 1996 | Daniela Ivanova & Rumen Yordanov | ||||
| 1997 | |||||
| 1998 | |||||
| 1999 | |||||
| 2000 | |||||
| 2001 | No other competitors | [12] | |||
| 2002 |
|
No other competitors | |||
| 2003 | [13] | ||||
| 2004 | No other competitors | [14] | |||
| 2005 | [15] | ||||
| 2006 |
|
|
[16] | ||
| 2007 | No other competitors | ||||
| 2008 |
|
[17] | |||
| 2009 | [18] | ||||
| 2010 | No ice dance competitors | [19] | |||
| 2011 | No competition held | ||||
| 2012 |
|
No other competitors | [20] | ||
| 2013 |
|
[21] | |||
| 2014–19 | No ice dance competitors | ||||
| 2020 | No other competitors | [28] | |||
| 2021–26 | No ice dance competitors since 2021 | ||||
Junior medalists
editMen's singles
edit| Year | Location | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | Sofia | No junior men's competitors | |||
| 2016 | Nikola Zlatanov | No other competitors | [24] | ||
| 2017 | Alexander Zlatkov | Nikola Zlatanov | No other competitors | [25] | |
| 2018 | Radoslav Marinov | Vasil Dimitrov | [26] | ||
| 2019 | Tobija Harms | No other competitors | [27] | ||
| 2020 | Vasil Dimitrov | [28] | |||
| 2021 | Competition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | [29] | |||
| 2022 | Filip Kaymakchiev | Alexandar Kachamakov | Rosen Peev | [30] | |
| 2023 | Rosen Peev | No other competitors | [31] | ||
| 2024 | Dean Mihaylov | Yoanis Apostolu | Alexandar Kachamakov | [32] | |
| 2025 | Rosen Peev | Kalojan Nalbantov | [33] | ||
| 2026 | Yoanis Apostolu | Rosen Peev | [34] | ||
Women's singles
edit| Year | Location | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Sofia | Alexandra Feigin | Paolina Popova | Monika Yordanova | [38] |
| 2015 | Teodora Markova | Simona Arnaudova | [39] | ||
| 2016 | Simona Gospodinova | [24] | |||
| 2017 | Kristina Grigorova | Preslyana Dimitrova | Svetoslava Ryadkova | [25] | |
| 2018 | Alexandra Feigin | Kristina Grigorova | Eliza Pancheva | [26] | |
| 2019 | Maria Levushkina | Ivelina Baycheva | Thea Boeva | [27] | |
| 2020 | Maria Ilinova | [28] | |||
| 2021 | Competition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | [29] | |||
| 2022 | Chiara Hristova | Daniela Stanimirova | Daniela Nikolova | [30] | |
| 2023 | Krista Georgieva | Marina Nikolova | [31] | ||
| 2024 | Leilah Patten | Lia Lyubenova | [32] | ||
| 2025 | Lia Lyubenova | Chiara Hristova | Krista Georgieva | [33] | |
| 2026 | Varvara Abramkina | Lia Lyubenova | [34] | ||
Records
edit| Discipline | Most championship titles | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skater(s) | No. | Years | Ref. | |
| Men's singles | 15 | 1992–2006 | [10] | |
| Women's singles |
|
10 | 1962–71 | |
| Pairs | 4 | 2012–15 | [40][41] | |
| [a] | 5 | 2007; 2012–15 | ||
| Ice dance | 11 | 1997–2007 | [42][43] | |
| [b] | 13 | 1992–93; 1997–2007 | ||
- ↑ Leri Kenchadze won one championship title while partnered with Nina Ivanova (2007), and four with Elizaveta Makarova (2012–15).
- ↑ Albena Denkova won two championship titles with Hristo Nikolov (1992–93), and eleven with Maxim Staviski (1997–2007).
References
edit- ↑ "The Bulgarian Skating Federation Celebrated Its 50th Jubilee". Bulgarian Skating Federation. Archived from the original on 30 September 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2008.
- ↑ "История На Фигурното Пързаляне В България" [History of figure skating in Bulgaria]. AllSports.bg (in Bulgarian). 7 March 2010. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
- 1 2 "Новите шампиони по фигурно пързаляне" [The new figure skating champions]. Работническо Дело (in Bulgarian). 9 March 1964. p. 4. Retrieved 20 December 2025 – via Arcanum Newspapers.
- 1 2 "Първи майстори на спорта по фигурно пързаляне" [First masters of sport in figure skating]. Работническо Дело (in Bulgarian). 22 March 1965. p. 4. Retrieved 20 December 2025 – via Arcanum Newspapers.
- 1 2 "Накратко" [In brief]. Народна Mладеж (in Bulgarian). No. XXVII. 11 January 1971. p. 4 – via Arcanum Newspapers.
- ↑ "При фигуристите" [Among the figure skaters]. Kооперативно Cело (in Bulgarian). 3 April 1982. Retrieved 19 December 2025 – via Arcanum Newspapers.
Бойко Алексиев е отново без конкуренция при мъжете.
[Boyko Aleksiev is again without competition among the men.] - 1 2 "При фигуристите няма нови имена" [There are no new names among the figure skating]. Kооперативно Cело (in Bulgarian). 5 March 1984. p. 4. Retrieved 19 December 2025 – via Arcanum Newspapers.
- 1 2 "Фигуристите в надпревара" [Figure skaters in competition]. Kооперативно Cело (in Bulgarian). 24 December 1984. p. 4. Retrieved 19 December 2025 – via Arcanum Newspapers.
- 1 2 3 "Вторият кръг на републикан екото първенство по фигурно пързаляне в столицата излъчи шампионите на страната" [The second round of the republican figure skating championship in the capital revealed the country's champions.]. Kооперативно Cело (in Bulgarian). 26 January 1987. p. 4. Retrieved 19 December 2025 – via Arcanum Newspapers.
- 1 2 "Ivan Dinev – BUL Bulgaria". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 15 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 "Фигурно пързаляне" [Figure skating]. Отечествен Вестник (in Bulgarian). 20 December 1993. p. 7. Retrieved 16 May 2026 – via Arcanum Newspapers.
- 1 2 3 4 "Communication No. 1119: National Results 2000/2001" (PDF). International Skating Union. 25 June 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
- 1 2 3 "Communication No. 1216: National Results 2002/2003" (PDF). International Skating Union. 5 July 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 "Communication No. 1271: National Results 2003/2004" (PDF). International Skating Union. 12 July 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 April 2006. Retrieved 16 April 2006.
- 1 2 3 4 "Communication No. 1330: National Results 2004/2005" (PDF). International Skating Union. 18 July 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2006. Retrieved 30 September 2006.
- 1 2 3 4 "Communication No. 1404: National Results 2005/2006" (PDF). International Skating Union. 26 July 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 30 September 2007.
- 1 2 3 4 "Communication No. 1521: National Results 2007/2008". International Skating Union. 31 July 2008. Archived from the original on 18 February 2009. Retrieved 18 February 2009.
- 1 2 3 4 "Communication No. 1576: National Results 2008/2009". International Skating Union. 14 July 2009. Archived from the original on 18 August 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
- 1 2 3 4 "Communication No. 1626: National Results 2009/2010". International Skating Union. 21 July 2010. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 "Communication No. 1743: National Results 2011/12". International Skating Union. 5 July 2012. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 "Communication No. 1804: National Results 2012/13". International Skating Union. 23 July 2013. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
- 1 2 3 "2014 Bulgarian Nationals". Skating Scores. Archived from the original on 18 December 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- 1 2 3 "2015 Bulgarian Nationals". Skating Scores. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - 1 2 3 4 "2016 Bulgarian National Championships". Tracings. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 "Bulgarian Championships 2016". Rink Results. Archived from the original on 3 November 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 "Bulgarian Championships 2017". Rink Results. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 "Bulgarian Championships 2018". Rink Results. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Bulgarian Championships 2019". Rink Results. Archived from the original on 26 September 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 "Cancelled – 2021 Bulgarian Nationals". Skating Scores. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 "Bulgarian Championships 2022". Rink Results. Archived from the original on 10 December 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 "Bulgarian Championships 2023". Rink Results. Archived from the original on 10 February 2025. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 "Bulgarian Championships 2024". Rink Results. Archived from the original on 10 February 2025. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 "Bulgarian Championships 2025". Rink Results. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 "2026 Bulgarian Nationals". Skating Scores.
- ↑ "Orders and Medals". Президент на Република България (President of the Republic of Bulgaria) (in Bulgarian). 30 October 2012. Archived from the original on 15 January 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ↑ "Bulgaria Gives Highest State Order to World Skating Champions". Sofia News Agency. 5 April 2007. Archived from the original on 15 June 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
- ↑ "2012 Denkova-Staviski Cup". Skating Scores. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
- ↑ "Bulgarian Championships 2013". Rink Results. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ↑ "Bulgarian Championships 2014". Rink Results. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ↑ "Competition Results – Elizaveta Makarova/Leri Kenchadze". International Skating Union. 10 April 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
- ↑ "Elizaveta Makarova & Leri Kenchadze (BUL)". International Skating Union. 28 September 2013. Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Albena Denkova & Maxim Staviski". International Skating Union. 29 July 2007. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
- ↑ "Albena Denkova & Maxim Staviyski". International Skating Union. 15 April 2001. Archived from the original on 19 April 2001. Retrieved 19 April 2001.