German hot air balloon enthusiast wins Gold medal

A Gold medal was recently presented to David Strasmann of Germany, for his recent success during the FAI World Air Games. Strasmann was awarded the medal after beating stiff competition in the Hot Air Ballooning competition at the Games. As he accepted his Gold, the crowd of around 300 spectators gave a standing ovation, cheering wildly. Strasmann, aged 34, competed against 67 balloon teams to secure victory. His performance was particularly strong in the Hesitation Waltz round, where a marker has to be dropped to the ground, as near to a target as possible. He also excelled in the Pilot Declared Race to Area round. The newly crowned champion said:

“It was a tough competition because we had this wind changing direction in the afternoon, but we had a good crew, good speed, good wind measurements.”

However, the German stated that his success in the Hesitation Waltz task hadn't been entirely down to skill, but also to a degree of good fortune, especially down to the last metre. Completing the podium was bronze medallist Stefan Zeberli of Switzerland, and the silver medal being won by Steven Vlegels from Belgium. Following the German national anthem as part of the medal ceremony, Strasmann was lifted into the air by Zeberli, in a show of celebration. Hot air ballooning is becoming increasingly popular, with many more people booking hot air balloon trips in the UK. The experience can range from a short flight which provides breath-taking scenery, to longer flights covering more distance.