GERMAN NATIONALS @ PFORZHEIM
38 years ago, a little boy of six years stood in a street in Pforzheim and looked up into the sky as some colourful hot air balloons gently drifted along. The fascination never faded, and so, it was a matter of the heart to return to the 13th edition of the Pforzheim balloon event in 2024!
The little boy – me, that is – had taken part in almost all editions, first as a spectator, then a model balloonist, and finally as a pilot when the event was resumed in 2017 after a nine year break – an edition that still stands out with fantastic weather, six of six flights and a great success in the end, winning the key grab competition.
So, we of course took the chance to return in 2024, this time as one of the 17 competitors of the German National Championship. The weather conditions were quite challenging with lots of rain, strong winds and muddy conditions on the ground, but after three short and quick hops, Sunday morning made up for it all with a relaxed and beautiful flight. After some ups and downs, we finished 7th in the overall ranking, with which we were quite happy.
And of course, the weekend was not only about competition, but also about meeting friends, having nice chats and some beers. What more could we ask for ;-)