Saga Japan to host 2016 World Championships

For the past few days the International Balloon Committee of the FAI has been meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland to decide which will be the host city for the 22nd FAI World Hot Air Balloon Championship which will be held in 2016.

Last month balloonteam.net reported on the video presentations which had been prepared by the two leading candidate cities, Albuquerque, USA and Saga, Japan.

After much deliberation the committee made their final decision on Friday evening, voting 29 to 9 that the honour of hosting the world’s premiere hot air balloon competition in 2016 goes to Saga, Japan.

The successful bid was put forward by the city of Saga and and the Saga International Balloon Fiesta Organization Committee. The two organisations will now work together toward staging the event in the summer of 2016.

Saga has hosted the FAI World Hot Air Balloon Championship on two previous occasions – the 13th (1989) and 19th (1997).

Keep reading balloonteam.net for updates on the 2016 World Hot Air Balloon Championship, and of course the this summers Championship which will be held in Rio Claro, Sao Paulo, Brazil from 17th to 27th July.