A nine-year-old boy from Aksakovo, Bulgaria is set to compete against some of the world’s top athletes in the discipline of control-line aeromodelling in Australia.
Kubrat may seem like an ordinary nine-year-old who goes to school, but after classes he demonstrates extraordinary talent in control-line aerobatics.
He has been training intensively to take part in a round of the World Cup, followed immediately by the World Championship in control-line aeromodelling, also being held in Australia.
Just days before flying out with his mother and father—who is also his personal coach—Kubrat was back at the stadium for yet another training session.
The Nine-year-old Bulgarian aeromodelling talent says he is ready to compete for a world title as he prepares to face much older rivals in Australia.
“Whenever we have free time, when it’s not raining and the weather is good, we come here to the stadium in Aksakovo to train,” Kubrat said.
Asked whether he feels ready to win the world title, he replied: “I’m ready, of course.”
When asked if competing against much older contestants and being the youngest participant worries him, Kubrat said: “It doesn’t really worry me. The important thing is to know the manoeuvres and perform them cleanly.”
The world rankings in control-line aeromodelling currently include 30 children and young people aged between 11 and 21.
Kubrat is considered a remarkable exception in the sport, as the youngest competitor in the rankings and currently sits in 16th place in points.
He is also expected to be the youngest participant in the upcoming competitions.
Kirill Kirilov, the father of Kubrat Kirilov, believes his son has every chance of competing with — and even surpassing — much older contestants.
“There will be boys aged 18 to 20 there, and he has a chance to even overtake them,” he said. “We are prepared but in the end, we will see what happens.”
In control-line aerobatics, electric aircraft are attached to metal lines, and the pilot uses a handle to control the direction of the plane in order to perform various manoeuvres.
Kubrat is considered unique in this discipline. There is no other child of his age anywhere in the world capable of performing all 15 manoeuvres set by the World Air Sports Federation — and he does so with ease.
His father added that Kubrat has already gained international support.
“What is interesting is that people from Poland, Ukraine, Slovakia and the United States support Kubrat and see a future in him,” he said.
“There are very few people involved in this hobby because it is extremely expensive. One model costs around €4,000 with full equipment. Here in Bulgaria, it is not so popular, but those involved in it do support him.”
It took Kubrat Kirilov just two years to master the intricacies of control-line aeromodelling, a sport in which he is already making a name for himself internationally.
His mother, Sonya Kirilova, said the family had not initially expected such rapid success.
“We didn’t expect it — we were simply happy that he had found his hobby and was away from all electronic devices,” she said. “But he showed talent, he was recognised, and we are very happy.”
Kubrat has grown up around aeromodelling. While his father flies radio-controlled aircraft, the boy has chosen his own path within the sport.
Today, his father, Kirill Kirilov, is not only his coach but also the designer and builder of the aircraft with which Kubrat wins competitions and captures people’s hearts.
“The model I built for him is based on my own vision, because he is a child,” his father said.
“At the same time, from an ethical point of view, I did not want to copy the models of other manufacturers, so I created this ‘little fish’ model. In Australia, they are already expecting it and want to see it, because they say we have changed the architecture of this sport.”
Kubrat continues to receive strong support from his schoolmates on his path to international competition, with classmates rarely missing his training sessions.
His father, Kirill Kirilov, said that public attention tends to give his son confidence, although he remains cautious about the pressures of a major international event.
“I know that when Kubrat sees an audience, he becomes braver, which is a good thing,” he said. “However, there will be many people there and I worry that he might become stressed, but I believe he is a strong personality. We will see.”
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