The municipality of Kochani and the Macedonian Ski Federation organized the Osovogo Grand Slalom (Osogovo Veleslalom) 2021 on February 28.
The event attracted 82 skiers from around the country who despite the sunshine and warm weather, were able to enjoy the slopes and compete in near-normal conditions. The competition consisted of five categories, including one for the youngest skiers.
This skiing event is one example of one of the sporting events on snow in Macedonia. The country’s winter tourism hasn’t really taken off in comparison to neighboring Serbia and Bulgaria, however there are several excellent locations with underdeveloped potential.
Ponikva, in the north-eastern part of the country near the town Kochani, received a good amount of snowfall this season. Before the Covid pandemic, the hotels and villas on the mountaintop have traditionally attracted enough guests to fill their capacity.
One of the competitors in the event was the Swiss ambassador to Macedonia Sybil Suter Tejada. The Swiss agency Increasing Market Employability has supported the development of alternative tourism in Macedonia, including mountaineering and winter sports.
IME has secured 4.8 million euros for the development of Ponikva.
