by : Raul Caro

XXII Spanish Hot-air Balloon Championship

Catalan pilot Angel Aguirre, for second year in a row, won the Spanish hot-air balloon championship, this being the 22nd edition. Second place was won by Josep María Lladó and third by Javier Tarno from Madrid. During the same flights and tasks (but being scored separately) the WAG (World Air Games) Cup 2000 was flown (being the test event for next year's World Air Games), competition in which the German pilot Uwe Schneider proved to be the strongest, followed by Markus Pieper and Brasilian Rubens Kalousdian in second and third place respectively.

Both competitions, directed by Les Purfield, took place in Sanlúcar La Mayor, 15 kilometres to the northwest of Seville from July 4th to July 9th. Spain was represented in the WAG Cup 2000 by Angel Aguirre, Javier Tarno y Carles Lladó, who obtained 4th, 5th and 17th place respectively. A total of 53 teams assisted to compete in one of both events (29 for the WAG Cup 2000 and 27 for the Spanish Championship).

One of the factors that made this event a success were the excellent meteorological conditions, allowing five flights with a lot of steerage during which fourteen tasks had to be completed. Even so the competition was heavily disputed and the final ranking was not decided until the last flight (with a double task). The top three pilots in each competition obtained average scores above 800 points indicating the high level obtained.

Anulfo González, president of the Spanish ballooning commission, underlined during the closing ceremony the increasing level of participation and quality which could be observed in the last national championships, promising a bright future for the sport of ballooning in Spain, also after the celebration of the World Air Games 2001.

The flight area is bordered by the the Aznalcóllar dam to the north, Sanlúcar la Mayor to the east, the A49 highway (Sevilla - Huelva) to the south and Paterna del Campo to the west; this results in a competition area that permits a variety of flights and tasks.

It was found that despite the elevated temperatures in this period of the year, long flights can be made without an excessive danger to encounter thermal activity.

At the same time the important touristic infrastructure which can be found in the area guarantees a maximum of commodity to participants and organizers of an international event.

Jean Claude Weber, president of the CIA (FAI Ballooning Commission) congratulated the WAG Cup 2000 organisers and stressed the potential development that air sports have in Spain. Alvaro Calderón, president of the FAE (Spanish Aeronautical Federation), also had words of congratulation for the organisation, in particular for the fine work of observers, judges and officials.

After the successful completion of this test event, it can be confirmed that everybody is waiting impatiently to receive the ballooning events of the 2001 World Air Games, which will take place in Sanlúcar La Mayor (Seville) from June 22nd to July 1st.

More information as well as the complete final ranking can be obtained from

http://www.sportec.es/www/fae/aerostacion/wagcup2000.htm.