Team Gossard seals hat-trick at national show

For the first time, the British National Championship has been won by the same team and balloon for the third year in succession, as Team Gossard piloted their 90ft balloon to success. Although the championship has been won three years running in the past, the pilot who achieved this was not manning the same balloon on each year. Only Team Gossard and Andrew Holly, the pilot, can claim that accolade. Holly said:

“To win the Nationals is a massive achievement but to win three times consecutively is a very proud moment.”

The balloon features a striking picture of Elle Liberachi wearing the famous Gossard Egoboost bra. It was famously banned from the 2012 World Championship held in America because the photo quality image was considered too risqué for the American public. This balloon and pilot combination has won several other prestigious competitions, including The Monregalese Trophy. Holly has won this prestigious Italian ballooning trophy three times. European-based Kubicek Balloons made the competition-winning hot air balloon, and has specialised in making competition hot air balloons and airships since the early 1980s. During the balloon flight, the crews had to travel through different locations set out by the race director. The accuracy was measured using GPS trackers, and landing accuracy was also recorded and scored. Team Gossard’s achievement is made all the more notable because the balloon’s crew chief was new to competition ballooning. Louis Jones, company operations manager, stepped in only two days earlier to cover for the regular crew chief, who was unwell.