17 Jul 2024

2024 Open Austrian National Championship sets the stage for the 2025 FAI European Hot Air Balloon Championship

By: Katharina Lothspieler, PR Officer Wieselburg (Austria) Organising Committee

From 14 to 18 August 2024, the sky over Wieselburg (Lower Austria) will be filled with colourful Hot Air Balloons. Thirty-four pilots from around the world will participate in the 42nd FAl Open Austrian Dopgas Nationals and Lower Austrian Hot Air Balloon Championship. Brazil and the USA will also be represented.

The event is sanctioned by the FAI Ballooning Commission as a Category 2 event. This will also be the site of the 23rd FAI European Hot Air Balloon Championship from 16 to 23 August 2025.

A gentle hilly terrain and changing weather conditions

The competition area is bordered by the Danube in the north and the Alps in the south. To the east and west, we are surrounded by open landscape. The dominant wind direction is east and west. Due to the gentle hilly terrain, there are several valleys that "flow out." The “große” and “Kleine Erlauftal”, the “Melktal”, and the “Ybbstal” are the valleys where pilots will most frequently end up, as they are within the competition area.

Austro Control, Austrian Aviation Authority & Air Traffic Control, provides a large number of interested groups with weather data, sometimes individually prepared. The only constant about the weather is its constant change. Precise forecasts are all the more important in aviation. Therefore Austro Control have been provided two meteorologists who can deliver precise weather forecasts directly on-site.

Martin Wegner: an experienced Event Director

Martin Wegner

Martin Wegner, Event Director, has already led open championships in Wieselburg twice and with great success. Therefore, we are even more pleased that he is back in Wieselburg this year and will also lead the European Championship in Wieselburg next year. Martin is a successful balloon pilot in Germany. He always comes to Wieselburg with his whole family to vacation here as well. His balloon-enthusiastic children also help with the competitions – they are part of the measurement teams, which they enjoy very much.

A beautiful destination

The Mostviertel is a very beautiful destination. The Mostviertel lies between the Danube and the Ötscher, right in the heart of beautiful Lower Austria. In the north, the plains and hills are gentle, the fields and meadows fertile. Here, one can enjoy excellent cycling and walking, savour the surroundings, and find peace and quiet.

In the south, it's more adventurous, alpine, and mountainous. The Mostviertel Alps promise wild wonders, with deep gorges, waterfalls, and primeval forests, three nature parks, and the vibrant history of blacksmiths, charcoal burners, and lumberjacks.

Those who spend their vacation here can experience a lot. One thing unites the north and the south: the open and hospitable character of the people. The Mostviertel spoils gourmets with pure pear ciders, elegant wines, specialties from wild fruits such as cornelian cherries, serviceberries, and rose hips, and even Mostviertel sheep cheese.

In August, Wieselburg becomes the ballooning capital of Austria. There are many opportunities to watch the pilots at the target crosses, see them at the start, or maybe have a few words with them after landing.

Nightglow and Fly-in

Moreover, there will be a great NIGHT OF THE BALLOONS on 17 August at Zwieselplatz (Volksfestplatz) in Wieselburg. With various attractions for children – a chance to see a balloon from the inside, magic shows, trampolines, and more.

Spectators can also experience the excitement of the Fly-In of the balloons around 6:30 PM. Here, a target cross will be laid out, and the pilots must drop a marker on this target cross. It's very exciting to see 35 balloons suddenly floating in the middle of Wieselburg. After the Fly-In, there will be a raffle drawing – with balloon rides to win:

First prize: Balloon ride for 9 people
Second prize: Balloon ride for 6 people
Third prize: Romantic balloon ride for 2 people
Fourth Prize: Voucher for a Mostviertel balloon ride
5th to 10th prizes: Value vouchers

And to crown the event, there will be the Nightglow. Here, the pilots will return from their evening flight around 9:00 PM, and you can see the colourful balloons in the night sky, accompanied by music and a laser show.

We invite you to join us in Wieselburg!