For the first time Sofia will host a round of the NOKIA Snowboard FIS World Cup Big Air. The second round of the competition will be held on December 22 on Knyaz Alexander I Square, outside the National Art Gallery. Entrance will be free. "We are very happy to be back on the FIS map and we expect a strong crowd of at least 20 000," Tseko Minev, head of the Bulgarian Ski Federation told a news conference.

The Sofia Echo spoke to project co-ordinator Konstantin Minchev for more details on the event. "The construction of the ramp frame, the referee tower, the elevator and the other premises will start on December 11 and is scheduled to finish on December 17. After that we start working on installing the lights," Minchev said.

The 350-ton ramp, which is made up of different sections, is coming from Switzerland. The construction's parameters are impressive and promises a good show: height 31m, length 100m and width 25m.

Three hundred tons of snow will be used to cover the ramp. The ratio of artificial snow to natural snow from Vitosha Mountain will depend on weather conditions. The event starts on December 21, at 5pm, with Sponsors' Night, followed by BigAirBAG demonstrations. On December 22, the competition begins at 10am with practice runs and three qualification rounds that will determine the finalists. The finals, between the top 16 riders, are scheduled for 5.40pm. The event is scheduled to finish by 7.35pm.

Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard will be blocked to traffic for five days, on December 15 and 16 and on December 20 to 23, Bulgarian Ski Federation's media director Plamen Valkov told The Sofia Echo.

"Big Air is the most attractive snowboard discipline and also the most watched as it is staged in the cities not the mountains. It's a huge prestige for Sofia to host to such an event because only five cities around Europe will hold World Cup rounds this season. TV coverage will be massive. Bulgarian National Television will show the competition live while Eurosport and FIS official media are preparing reportage," Valkov said.

The last time Bulgaria hosted a FIS World Cup competition was 23 years ago when Rila's Borovets winter resort hosted the alpine ski competition.