Reno Balloon Races

Reno Balloon Races Facts

When: September 10, 2010 through September 12, 2010

Where: San Rafael Park, Reno.

Maps: San Rafael Park

The mission of The Great Reno Balloon Race is to provide a premier, safe, family-friendly, and visually dramatic event that celebrates the joy of flight while being free to the public.

This two day Reno event includes: the Dawn Patrol, the Mass Ascension, Balloon Blackjack, the Hare and the Hound Race, and the Tissue Paper Balloon Flying Contest. There are daily tethered rides, as well as the possibility to hop a ride early each morning (stowaways are used for ballast, we're told.)

Hare & Hound: Hunting Balloon-Style
The hounds are the 100 or so balloons and the hares are two balloons sponsored by Wells Fargo Bank.

Balloon Blackjack
For a fourth year the organizers of the Great Reno Balloon Race have implemented a Balloon Blackjack Tournament to get resort-style action airborne during the event. It met popular success in 1999 for both the pilots and sponsors. The prizes awarded last year included complimentary weekends and meals at many of the area's best resorts.

Fly In Task - Judge Declared Goal
This event is new to the Great Reno Balloon Race. Officials (judge) of the Great Reno Balloon Race picks a target based on the prevailing winds and expected winds in the area that will require the pilot to fly their balloon, with the use of navigation skills, to drop a marker or other means of scoring at the specified targets. The target is selected prior to the pilot's briefing each morning. The target is anything from an X to a floating target (pibal with money for example), or whatever the officials decide each day.

Fly In Task - Calculated Rate of Approach Task
This task brings pilots back to the field in a specified amount of time. Officials place a target somewhere on the field and pilots will work their way back, racing the clock, to reach the target before the specified amount of time is over.

Fly In Task - Maximum/Minimum Distance Double Drop
While the pilots are flying out for Mass Ascension, two targets will be set up for the Maximum Distance Double Drop and the Minimum. Pilots will return to the field (still in the sky) and attempt to throw a marker at each target. For the Minimum Distance Double Drop, they will want their markers to be as close as possible. For the Maximum Distance Double Drop, they will want their markers to be as far away from each as possible.

For further information and more pictures, and way cool panoramic view shots, see the official Great Reno Balloon Race website here.

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