Hot air balloons that float majestically over the Tegernsee.
A sight that is familiar from the Montgolfiade.
Now the giants are moving into the Tegernsee Valley for another occasion.
Tegernsee Valley
- The Tegernsee have their own experiences with hot air balloons.
In 2020 they hosted the Montgolfiade - a balloon meeting with a lavish supporting program - for the 20th time.
The rush for that anniversary was huge, the balloons again proved to be a crowd puller.
When hot air balloon teams from all over Germany, Austria and Switzerland are guests at the Tegernsee on October 6th, it will be an event of a different kind: Together with the German Free Ballooning Association and the Federal Balloon Commission in the German Aeroclub, the Tegernsee will be setting up Tal Tourismus GmbH (TTT) hosted the German Hot Air Balloon Championship for the first time.
"This time the focus is on the sporting competition," explains Peter Rie, who has taken on the event management on site for the TTT.
There are no passenger trips or a supporting program for spectators.
Almost 30 balloon teams travel to the German championship at Tegernsee
TTT managing director Christian Kausch is sure that the championship will be an attraction for onlookers. "There will be many balloons to be seen over the lake at the same time," promises the head of tourism. 28 balloon teams will take on various tasks and fight for the coveted championship. In principle, it is about which pilot can best steer his hot air balloon and reach goals most precisely. From Thursday to Saturday, October 7th to 9th, two starts are planned - as long as the weather conditions allow -: in the morning around 7.30 a.m. and in the afternoon around 4 p.m. Sunday is available as a reserve day if competitions are still open. Before the balloons are allowed to take off, weather checks and briefings take place. "For this purpose, an external competition team with 18 people is traveling",reports Rie.
For the first time balloon take off from the Warngau airfield
The fact that the Tegernsee Valley organizes the Montgolfiade every year and has already hosted three high-level competitions for hot air ships - most recently the World Cup in 2018 - ensures the necessary wealth of experience.
The tried and tested areas on the lake promenade in Bad Wiessee and on the Oswaldwiese in Rottach-Egern are available as starting places.
For the first time, the TTT and its co-organizers were able to win the Warngau Aviation Club as a partner: the balloons will also take off for competitions from the airfield there.
Where the giants take off is decided depending on the weather conditions.
The latest information - also for spectators - is available online at www.tegernsee.com/sportballon.
Sports balloons are oval and have less capacity
When looking at the balloons, some will rub their eyes in amazement.
Unlike the conventional hot air balloons, the sports balloons used in the championship are not round, but oval.
"Like drops of water," says Rie.
The locomotion technique works in the same way as with the usual balloons, but the competition vehicles have less capacity (around 1200 to 2600 cubic meters) and only carry one or two people in the balloon basket.
“The size of the balloons makes them much more manoeuvrable,” explains Rie.
The planned supporting program was canceled again due to Corona
The balloon teams will be welcomed on Wednesday, October 6th, with an internal Bavarian evening in the Wiesseer Post. The award ceremony with awarding of the championship title follows on Sunday at the same place. There is no public supporting program. Originally it was planned to hold a "Fly In" at the Warngau airfield as part of the championship. The highlight should be a concert with the Oimara on Friday evening. But the program was called off again at short notice. According to TTT, "the hygiene measures could not be implemented as planned". Concert tickets that have already been purchased can be returned to the respective advance booking office.
Tourism boss Kausch describes the German ballooning championship as a "stroke of luck" for the Tegernsee valley.
"This is a very high-quality event that not everyone has," says Kausch.
Balloons are welcome in the Tegernsee valley - "they have a long tradition here".
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