This is the Tournament Portal for our Spring West Tournament in Blagoevgrad. The upcoming tournament will be held at the American University in Bulgaria on February 15-16. Registration for the tournament is now open and will close on January 26.
Registration Documents
The forms, sheets, and documents needed for tournament registration will be made available via email to BEST coaches from the tournament region when registration opens, and access to them will be revoked when registration closes. You can see the registration dates above. Coaches, if you don’t receive a comprehensive registration e-mail for the tournament by the time registration opens, please email us at info@bestfoundation.bg.
Press Releases
The post-tournament press release, including the names of the tournament winners, can be found here in English and here in Bulgarian.
Tournament Schedule
Saturday, February 15
9:30 - 11:00 - Team Check In
10:00 - 12:00 - Judge Briefing Session 1 - Speech Events
11:00 - Opening Ceremony
12:00 - Round 1 Flight B: Oratory, Prose, and Duo
Judge Briefing Session 2 - Speech events and Debate
13:30 - Round 1 Flight A: Debate (Prepared) and Poetry
14:30 - Lunch break
15:00 - Round 2 Flight B: Oratory, Prose, and Duo
16:30 - Round 2 Flight A: Debate (Impromptu) and Poetry
18:15 - Quarterfinals: Prose, Varsity Oratory
Semifinals: Novice Oratory, Duo
19:30 - Quarterfinals: Varsity Poetry
Semifinals: Novice Poetry
Round 3: Debate (Prepared)
20:30 - Semifinals: Prose, Varsity Oratory
Sunday, February 16
8:30 - Semifinals: Varsity Poetry
Round 4: Debate (Impromptu)
10:00 - Finals: Prose, Oratory, and Duo
11:30 - Finals: Poetry and Debate (Prepared)
13:30 - Closing Ceremony
Judging
We welcome all high school graduates with C1 or higher English to judge at our tournaments. If you are new to BEST and our tournaments, visit our Judging Basics page!
We will reimburse all judges for their transport if they use trains or buses, but we strongly encourage taking the most affordable option when possible (usually trains). Please purchase your ticket back from the tournament location as well, as we cannot reimburse you without being presented tickets. We will provide food at the tournament site, and we will also cover one night of hotel accommodations for regional tournaments. In exceptional circumstances when a judge can’t make it to the tournament site before 10am on Saturday, we will cover two nights of hotel accommodation.
Judge registration for the tournament is now open! The judge sign-up form is available here. Coaches, you must register if you are judging, too, and don’t forget to include your judges when you fill out your team roster spreadsheet (see our registration e-mail).
Transportation
Below are trusted taxi services to help transport you around town during the tournament:
Tip Top Taxi - 089 343 4101
OK Taxi - 088 721 0000
Eko Taxi - 089 865 0532
Please note that the tournament will take place in AUBG’s Main Building, and not the campus. A Google map leading you to the correct location can be found below.
Hotels
All judges, coaches, chaperones, and participants will be staying at one of the following hotels. You will receive an email from BEST with your hotel assignment.
Baza Bachinovo
Address: Park Bachinovo, 3 km from Blagoevgrad. Find directions here.
More information can be found on their website.
Hotel Pilevski
Address: 60 Aleksandar Stamboliyski blvd., Southern Industrial Zone, Blagoevgrad. Find directions here.
More information can be found on their website.
Hotel Cardinal
Address: 5 James Boucher str, Center, Blagoevgrad. Find directions here.
More information can be found on their website.
Hotel Alpha
Address: 7 Kukush str, Blagoevgrad. Find directions here.
More information can be found on their website.
Hotel Kristo
Address: kvartal Varosha, Blagoevgrad. Find directions here.
More information can be found on their website.
Hotel Fenix
Address: 78 Todor Alexandrov str, Blagoevgrad. Find directions here.
More information can be found on their website.
Family Hotel Kartala
Address: 22 Vasil Aprilov Str., Blagoevgrad. Find directions here.
While this hotel does not list a website, you can contact them by phone with any questions at 073 830 170.
Food
A list of restaurants and supermarkets near the hotels and tournament location in Blagoevgrad will be linked after registration closes.
Debate Motions
Novice
THS prison labor
THW abolish primary and secondary school grades that group children based on age and instead group them by ability and intelligence
THW allow children to sue their parents for religious indoctrination
***Indoctrination means teaching someone to accept beliefs uncritically. In the case of religion, this can include (but is not limited to) emphasizing strict adherence to religious teachings and not presenting alternative viewpoints.
Novice Impromptu Hints
Consent
Success
Varsity
THBT there should be worldwide human rights standards to protect online data
THB that social media has a negative impact on democracy
THR the idea that individual action will help climate change
Varsity Impromptu Hints
War
Police