On September 26, 2018, the awards banquet for the China Hot Air Balloon Club League? Xiangyang Station in Hubei was grandly held at the Xiangyang Minfa Shijie Hotel. Key leaders and guests from the Chinese Aeronautical Sports Association and the Xiangyang Municipal Government attended the award ceremony, presenting certificates, medals, and other honors to the winning clubs.
The competition included events such as target flying and wandering waltz. Sixty professional pilots from 30 of China’s top hot air balloon clubs competed fiercely over several days. In the end, Zhucheng Hot Air Balloon Sports Culture Co., Ltd. won the championship with 2793 points; Xi’an Bailucang General Aviation Technology Co., Ltd. and Zhengzhou Ao-Xiang Cultural Communication Co., Ltd. took second and third place with 2792 and 2663 points respectively. The fourth to sixth places were secured by China Flying Veterans Aviation Club, Datong Aeronautical Sports Association, and Beijing Tianlang Hot Air Balloon Technical Training Club.
Over the past few days, hot air balloon athletes studied weather conditions every morning and evening, and planned out race tasks. From 6 a.m. each day, tasks such as fuel filling, equipment checks, and weather assessments were carried out to determine flight readiness. The professionalism of the competition and its organization were evident throughout the entire process—from inflating the balloons to takeoff, flight, and landing. The pilots’ fighting spirit, drive, teamwork, and competitive drive left a valuable spiritual legacy for the spectators and visitors.
Looking back at the event, in addition to the thrilling competitive aspect, the rich variety of cultural activities also left a deep impression. The spectacular opening ceremony performance transported audiences’ thoughts back to ancient Xiangyang aboard floating hot air balloons, creating unforgettable and beautiful memories for those present. The balloon lighting show was magical, with dozens of glowing balloons igniting one by one to music, drawing cheers and immersion from thousands of onlookers. The torch parade on Mid-Autumn night shook the entire city of Xiangyang, with streets packed full of citizens and tourists, truly an event that drew everyone out. As flames burst in time with music, they added a brilliant splash of color to the moonlit sky. When the convoy passed by, all spectators took out their phones to capture the breathtaking moment of light, sound, scenery, and moon blending together. Daily tethered hot air balloon experiences were also filled with novelty and fun. Some residents from nearby cities, upon hearing about the hot air balloon league in Xiangyang, specially brought their children to participate, hoping for a unique Mid-Autumn holiday and gaining a fresh bonding experience with their families.
During the event, major media outlets including CCTV, Xiangyang TV, Xiangyang Daily, Travel Satellite TV, and Sohu Sports paid close attention to the competition. The general public actively interacted and captured content for social sharing, pushing the use of user-generated media to new heights. This fully showcased the uplifting spirit of the people of Xiangyang. The event trended across platforms like Weibo and WeChat, with discussion threads brimming with excitement and joy, bringing Xiangyang’s historical and cultural stories back into the national spotlight.
It is believed that the integration of Xiangyang’s sports and tourism industries will surely promote the coordinated development of regional tourism. While establishing a new calling card for Xiangyang as one of the most popular sports and cultural tourism cities in Hubei and even the whole country, it will also create a model urban example of “low-altitude tourism driving urban economic transformation.”