On November 9, the Sichuan Famous Cultural Tourism Counties Development Alliance event and the "2019 China Hot Air Balloon Club League Sichuan・Changning (Shunan Bamboo Sea) Leg" will officially open in Changning County.
The 2019 China Hot Air Balloon Club League Sichuan・Changning (Shunan Bamboo Sea) Leg is themed "Soar Your Dreams・Fly Over the Bamboo Sea." During the event, 30 top domestic hot air balloon clubs from across the country and 60 pilots will compete in the skies above Changning. A variety of highly entertaining and interactive activities such as fire-spouting parades and tethered rides will also be held, creating an unprecedented aerial feast for the people of Changning, packed with rich and exciting content.
The competition will commence on the morning of the 9th with an opening ceremony at the venue opposite Dongshan Primary School on Section One of Zhuhai Avenue. All 30 competing hot air balloons will be on display at the ceremony. As the national anthem plays, the national flag balloon will be the first to ascend, leading all the balloons into the sky and kicking off the event.
In the evening of the 9th, as a highlight of the China Hot Air Balloon Club League, the Hot Air Balloon Fire-Spouting Parade will light up Changning, showcasing the passionate and dynamic side of hot air ballooning. At that time, a parade team of 30 pickup trucks will gather and depart from the main venue of the opening ceremony, led by police vehicles. The route will pass through Zhudu Avenue, Zhuhai Avenue, and Jinzhiya Road, covering a total of 5 kilometers of fire-spouting sections. On Changning County’s bustling streets, the blazing and dazzling flames will ignite the festive atmosphere to its peak.
Starting on the 10th, the China Hot Air Balloon Club League will officially begin competition, with 30 balloons and 60 professional pilots competing together. The competition will last four days, during which pilots will maneuver their balloons toward pre-set targets using wind direction and speed conditions according to designated competition tasks, and drop marker bags onto the targets. The distance between where the marker bag lands and the target determines the score—the shorter the distance, the better. Competition tasks generally include: designated target, free-choice target, wandering waltz, hound chasing hare, flying to the main venue, elbow flight, shortest distance, longest distance, and aerial free-choice target.
To enhance public participation and experience in the China Hot Air Balloon Club League, from the afternoon of November 10 to November 12, the organizing committee will set up a total of 9 hot air balloons at three locations: the opening ceremony venue (opposite Dongshan Primary School on Section One of Zhuhai Avenue), Shunan Bamboo Sea, and Shunan Flower Sea. These will offer tethered ride experiences to the residents and tourists of Changning County, allowing them to personally board a hot air balloon and enjoy a unique low-altitude tourism experience different from ordinary sightseeing. The diverse hot air balloon activities aim to engage more people in the sport and provide an in-depth experience of its joys.
