22nd FAI World Hot Air Balloon Championship

FAI World Hot Air Balloon Championship is the competition by the representative balloonists from member nations belonging to Federation Aeronwutique Internationale (FAI). Since the 1st championship in 1973, it has been held once every year, and its host site is chosen by the election in the Plenary Meeting of Committee International Aerostatic (CIA).

22nd FAI World Hot Air Balloon Championship in 2016 was decided by the election at the plenary meeting in Lausanne Switzerland, March 2014, and Saga was chosen keeping Albuquerque, USA, in check.

Holding FAI Hot Air Balloon Championship in Saga is the third time, the first time was the 9th championship in 1989, and next was the 13th in 1997.

［Reference］Official Site of FAI

Outline of 22nd World Hot Air Balloon Championship

• 2016 Outline

Event Name

22nd FAI World Hot Air Balloon Championship / 2016 Hot Air Balloon Honda Grand Prix -Final Round-


Event Location

Kase Riverside, Saga City

Event Dates

October 28th (Fri.) to November 6th (Sun.), 2016
* 2016 Hot Air Balloon Honda Grand Prix : Oct.28 (Fri) ～ 30(Sun)

• Schedule

Hosting Organizations

2016 Saga World Hot Air Balloon Championship Organizing Committee
(Japan Aeronautic Association, Japan Balloon Federation, Saga Prefecture, Saga City, Saga International Balloon Fiesta Organization, and others)

Main Manager

2016 Saga World Hot Air Balloon Championship Executive Committee

Sanctioning Organizations

22nd FAI World Hot Air Balloon Championship / The World Air Sports Federation (FAI), The International Ballooning Commission (CIA) 2016 Hot Air Balloon Honda Grand Prix -Final Round- / AirB
*2016Hot Air Balloon Grand Prix was sanctioned by Hot Air Balloon Grand Prix Management Organization（Air-B）

Numbers of participating teams

100 representative pilots from FAI member nations, and include
　・the winners of 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in 21st FAI World Hot Air Balloon Championship
　・the champion of 2nd Junior World Hot Air Balloon Championship
　・the champion of 1st FAI Women's World Hot Air Balloon Championship
Total 105 pilots（ballons）
*There were 186 balloons all together including Hot Air Blloon Honda Grand Prix, Fiesta, Fantasia, and official balloons.

• Competitors
  

Past host sites and the champions

Time	Year	Location	Ballons	Champion
1st	1973	Albuquerque, USA	14 ctys./32 ballons	Dennis Floden
2nd	1975	Albuquerque, USA	15 ctys./34 ballons	David Schaffer
3rd	1977	York, England	22 ctys./51 ballons -Japan's first participation-	Paul Woessner
4th	1979	Uppsala, Sweden	16 ctys./33 ballons	Paul Woessner
5th	1981	Battle Creek, USA	21 ctys./82 ballons	Bruce Comstock
6th	1983	Nantes, France	20 ctys./70 ballons	Peter Vizzard
7th	1985	Battle Creek, USA	23 ctys./98 ballons	David Levin
8th	1987	Schielleiten, Austria	23 ctys./98 ballons	Albert Nels
9th	1989	Saga, Japan	25 ctys./102 ballons	Benedikt Haggeney
10th	1991	St.Jean-sur-Richelieu, Canada	26 ctys./101 ballons	Albert Nels
11th	1993	La Rochette, Luxembourg	32 ctys./101 ballons	Alan Blount
12th	1995	Battle Creek, USA	33 ctys./86 ballons	Joe Heartsill
13th	1997	Saga, Japan	38 ctys./112 ballons	David Bareford
14th	1999	Bad Waltersdorf, Austria	32 ctys./90 ballons	Bill Arras
15th	2002	Châtellerault, France	36 ctys./99 ballons	David Bareford
16th	2004	Mildura, Australia	30 ctys./87 ballons	Markus Pieper
17th	2006	Motegi, Japan	36 ctys./66 ballons	John Petrehn
18th	2008	Hofkirchen, Austria	36 ctys./98 ballons	François Messines
19th	2010	Debrecen, Hungary	34 ctys./129 ballons	John Petrehn
20th	2012	Battle Creek, USA	29 ctys./103 ballons	Nick Donner
21st	2014	Rio Claro, Brasil	22 ctys./58 ballons	Yudai FUJITA
22nd	2016	Saga, Japan	31 ctys./105 ballons	Rhett HEARTSILL
23rd	2018	Groß-Siegharts, Austria	34 ctys./105 ballons	Dominic BAREFORD
24th	2022	Murska Sobota, Slovenia	ctys./ ballons

ctys=countries

*World Air Games, called as Olympic of sky sports, has been held once every 4 years since 1997, so that the World Hot Air Championship has delayed by one year at the 15th championship in 2002, and it has been held in the even-numbered year not to be held with the same year of World Air Games.

Japanese site

［熱気球世界選手権］

Last Modified: 2018.10.23