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Balloon Fiesta to host National Hot Air Balloon Championships
The most prestigious event within the UK’s competitive hot air balloon calendar is coming to Bristol this summer for the first time.
The British National Hot Air Balloon Championships will run from August 6 to 11 both before and during the main Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.
The competition will form part of the new ‘Fiesta Week’, which will also see balloon launches from across the city as organisers hope to provide more chances to see balloons in flight.
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In the competition, pilots use the winds to guide their balloon to targets that have been set by the officials. They will then drop a marker as near to the target as they can.
Other tasks include flying the longest distance within a predefined airspace and making a 180-degree turn.
The British National Hot Air Balloon Championships determines the team that will compete in either the European or World Hot Air Balloon Championships the following year – photo: British National Hot Air Balloon Championships
Balloon International Balloon Fiesta executive director, Ben Hardy, said: “We’re of course delighted to welcome the British National Hot Air Balloon Championships to the Fiesta and to the world capital of hot air ballooning, Bristol.
“The Fiesta is a celebration of the city’s rich balloon history and the love so many have for the sport.
“To provide the opportunity to show some of the most exciting and captivating action ballooning has to offer is an incredible addition to the programme.
“Alongside our new community launches, Fiesta Week promises to be an awe-inspiring occasion for everyone in the city to enjoy.”
Main photo: British National Hot Air Balloon Championships
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