U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Team Championship

by Tom Hamilton

Gwinnett teamed with local balloonists and put together a bid for the championship, which was eventually awarded to Columbia, Missouri. The CD felt that they had received a number of strong bids and did not want to lose these potential host communities.

At the same time the idea for other “championships” was taking shape within the CD. The Competition Division then approached the strongest of the non-winning bidders and proposed they host another event. Gwinnett was asked to host the U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Team Championship.

The three year contract was signed to host the event in June of 1995, 1996 (three weeks before the Summer Olympics), and 1997. This would be the first time that a true team championship would be held in the U.S.

The plan called for 33 teams, including international teams, to compete for the title along with up to 100 fiesta flyers. When Jim Birk, Event Director, called the first roll there were 18 teams and approximately 30 fiesta flyers. Scheduled as a ten day event this championship competed this summer with the World Championship in Battle Creek, Indianola Classic in Iowa, and the U.S. Championship in Columbia, all major ten day events. This stretches the availability of serious competitive pilots thin.

The team concept involves three pilots who have participated the previous year in BFA sanctioned competition and have earned a ranking. The composition of each team is based on a formula to try and balance the competitive strength of each team.

As in other sanctioned competitions each pilot receives a task sheet at the pilot briefing. But, rather than everybody receiving the same task sheet, each member of the team receives a different task sheet. Thus there are three different task sheets for the entire field. An example:

Team member A’s task sheet calls for a Watership Down. Pilot A will be taking off from the main field and act as a Hare balloon for pilots B&C. Pilot A has a Pilot Declared Goal (PDG) prior to landing. Pilot B has a PDG prior to dropping his second marker on the Hare balloon target. Pilot C has a Fly in Task (FIT) at the main field before flying on dropping his marker on the Hare target.

Another example called for Pilot A to fly from the main field to a Judge Declared Goal (JDG). Pilot A then selects a goal 2,000 meters from the JDG that all three pilots will fly to. Each pilot will write the coordinates of their own PDG 3,000 meters from this PDG on their markers that they drop at the PDG. The two pilots, B&C, not flying from the main field are flying to an X on the field (FIT).

Okay, know that your brain in throbbing, these tasks made for some very interesting flying, and trying to figure out who was who in the air.

As with any serious competition the rule book played an important part. Many were penalized for various rule infractions. The mental preparation for each flight is probably more important than the actual flying skills. Avoiding mistakes is a larger factor in this competition than any other.

Weather always plays a big factor in the success, at least financial, of any event. Early in the event thunderstorms cancel a number of the flying events. Still the championship was able to fly 20 tasks, which assures that the best teams will rise to the top.

The team of Mark Sullivan, Troy Bradley, and Sid Cutter, all of Albuquerque, New Mexico won the Championship title and split $15,000 in prize money. Sid Cutter has now added the U.S. National Team Championship to go along with his two U.S. Hot Air Balloon (Individual) Championships.

Event Director Birk was able to use a greater diversity of task in this championship. Generally the pilots found the tasks challenging and the team concept interesting. As with any new venture there are a number of bugs to work out of the system. With time and experience more pilots may find this type of competition more to their liking.

Lou Billones was given high marks by many of the pilots for his weather forecasting. Lou was the meteorologist for Steve Fossett’s tans-Pacific flight this past winter.

The field also hosted a variety of events throughout the week. From foot races to a juried art show to a week long carnival complete with Ferris wheel. The Ferris wheel actually played a part in the competition. When the final prize money flight was cancelled the pilots rode the Ferris wheel to throw their markets on a target.

The organizers expected to lose money on the event this year. With a gate admission of $4 per adult and child (under two free) and the lack of a major money sponsor they may have faired worst than expected. Next year the event is planned to take place three weeks before the summer games. The Team Championship has the potential to showcase ballooning before a large audience. An opportunity that must worked.

 1. 36,438 points...M.Sullivan(Captain),T.Bradley,S.Cutter...$15,000
 2. 34,212 points...J.Petrehn(Captain),JSturdevant,P.Fogue...$12,000
 3. 33,233 points...D.Fox(Captain),R.Beebe,C.Owens...........$ 9,000
 4. 32,654 points...J.Heartsill(Captain),R.Ambeau,W.Bond
 5. 32,334 points...A.Blount(Captain),G.Britton,M.Murphy
 6. 31,708 points...B.Bussey(Captain),R.Johnson,D.Eastland
 7. 30,021 points...B.Cunningham(Captain),B.Carllo,M.Bowie
 8. 29,898 points...M.Bauwens(Captain),J.Cavin,M.Eheler
 9. 29,248 points...D.Rudlaff(Captain),G.Stephan,T.Gauthier
10. 28,864 points...D.Bareford(Captain),B.Corey,C.Wohistenholme
11. 28,686 points...E.VandeHoef(Captain),J.Parker,R.Buesing
12. 28,535 points...P.Glebe(Captain),S.Wilkinson,G.Geisen
13. 27,973 points...D.Weiser(Captain),M.Sullivan,R.Cusick
14. 26,679 points...R.Zanella(Captain),B.Lavigna,J.Wannenmacher
15. 23,973 points...P.Mueller(Captain),N.Ormerod,N.VanDis
16. 22,699 points...A.Muir(Captain),B.Murtorff,T.Atwell
17. 17,905 points...E.Miller(Captain),P.Scherm,D.Stukas
18. 17,150 points...S.Alexander(Captain),W.Wright,M.Williams