Balloon Competition in Estonia, Sunday August 24

 
 
Last Flight, August 24

The 5 o'clock forecast promises northerly winds, fog until 9 o'clock, thermals from 8 o'clock, 30 % lightning risk and 60 m between ground and clouds. No balloon flights in such conditions.

That was on paper. I step outside: yes, it is foggy, but I can see moon and stars clearly. No clouds at all. And it is calm.

Task, if any, will be "Valdur's Two Hares", that is, Hare and Hounds with two Hare balloons. Hounds have to decide which one to follow. It is Valdur's invention.

DEIVIDAS, DARIUS AND DAINA READ WINDS ON FOGGY SUNDAY MORNING.

At supplementary briefing next to Keila Town Hall I give coordinates for a launch field close to town in NW. Pilots prepare their balloons while we wait for the fog to clear. Murky clouds approach from behind. If we fly, it is going to happen between the present hazard (fog) and the two that will soon materialize: thermals and a cloud bank.
DRIVING TO FOGGY LAUNCH FIELD.

Fog clears. Kristine Vevere, Hare number 1, takes off at 8.28. I have asked her to inform me about the fog in landing area on the other side of town. She can see there from her balloon.

KRISTINE TAKES OFF AS HARE 1, VIKTOR FOLLOWS AS HARE 2.

Five minutes from Kristine's take-off  the light blue flag is raised: Hounds can ask permission to go hunting. Then Kiristine tells by radio that she can see nothing but fog on other side of Keila. She recommends that I cancel the task.

So I do, but I tell pilots that they can fly for fun if they want. I am not asking for it, neither am I recommending it. It is entirely up to them.

I CANCEL THE TASK AND FIVE BALLOONS STAY PUT. SIX PILOTS DECIDE TO FOLLOW THE HARES FOR THE FUN OF IT.
RIMAS DECIDES TO STAY ON GROUND. HE EMPTIES THE BALLOON BY OPENING THE PARACHUTE VALVE. MURKY CLOUDS APPROACH FROM GULF OF FINLAND.

Pilots take a good look at the gray cloudbank behind us. Five decide to pack the balloon now, the rest decide to do it after flying a little.

MOST PILOTS LANDED BEFORE KEILA, SOME AFTER KEILA, ALL IN PERFECT VISIBILITY. WIND WAS SLOW.


Valdur and I have nothing to do, so we follow Oscar and Tarmo, who fly very slowly above rooftops trying to find a place for landing. No such places in town, at least not for them. Finally, about quarter to 10, Tarmo and Oscar land on a big field southeast of town. The flights of our competition are done and over.

No powerline contacts, no broken bones, no torn balloon envelopes. Three flights in Viljandi, three in Keila, always over town. Ten plus one successful tasks in Viljandi, one successful task in Keila. Not bad considering the weather we had.

We had excellent pilots and highly motivated, competent staff. We did not build pyramids, but what we did, we tried to do well. The whole thing was made possible by the faith Keila and Viljandi city governments and the sponsors had shown in ballooning -- and in weather.

SOMETIMES OSCAR GOES UP. . .
. . . SOMETIMES OSCAR GOES DOWN. NO CHANCE TO LAND IN TOWN.

I gave out the prizes at final ceremony that took place in a not very big room, standing room only. Rimas Kostiuškevicius won the first prize, 500 euros, Valerij Machnorylov the second, 300 euros, and Tarmo Lievonen the third, 200 euros [FINAL RESULTS].

I had many more prizes to give, last of them special thanks mementos to various people and organisations. The very last special thanks cup was meant for Alo. I asked her wife to come and receive the small memento. She appeared from behind the crowd and I shoved the cup in her hand. Then we held each other tightly and cried silently for a long time, shoulders shaking. We two did the crying for everybody present, and I am sure it was very much needed. The little ballooning community could finally let one of its members go. 

That is not how the prize giving ceremonies usually end. The very end of ours was brighter, too: Valdur announced that he had heard Ago Kokser, the mayor of Keila, to use word "next" with words "balloon competition". -- Not "next year", just "next".

LIKE A DEW DROP, OR A BLADE OF GRASS . . .