Ahhhhhh......The Competition

Even if you have been coming to Carolina BalloonFest for years, it is just possible you have been missing out on one aspect of ballooning that many of us love - the competitions. There are usually competitions going on for most flights, but the easiest to watch are those that play out on the field in front of you.

You'll usually notice that on Saturday and Sunday mornings most pilots will be driving off of the airport field to launch. That's a sign that a competition is going on. The pilots are going to go outside the field perimeter to launch at least a mile out and then attempt to fly back in over the target (or targets) on the field. It takes skill, desire, determinatiin, the cooperation of Mother Nature, and even some luck. Bring a chair, dress warmly, and sit back and wait for the fun to begin.

You'll notice that some pilots have balloons that are smaller and almost egg shaped. These are the racers....usually flown by pilots who love the competitions. The design helps them to ascend and descend more quickly and get to the target a bit more precisely.

But don't rule out the more traditional "fat" balloons. Many of these pilots can handle their craft with amazing precision and will wow you with their dexterity.

There will usually be several targets on the field to hit....each task usually requires they use a certain color marker on a specific target, or part of a target. These markers are like small bean bags with a tail....you can usually see them fly if you pay close attention.

Two pilots to especially watch this year are local guy Drew Egerton, who won this competition and was number six in the nation last year. Last year's second place finisher was Al Nels, former world champion who will be preparing for his next world championship attempt in Japan in just a few weeks. Enjoy a taste of Al's ability in this video from last year, where he hovered over the field with great patience until he could get the right winds to get him over thee target.

Expect all of the pilots to put on a great show at Carolina BalloonFest. Cheer loudly. They can hear you!