40 years of racing to the ocean

HELEN - The South's oldest balloon event and the country's only long distance hot air balloon race is 40 years old this year.

The 2013 Helen to the Atlantic race is scheduled to begin with a mass ascension of 30 bright and colorful hot air balloons in North Georgia's Alpine Village Thursday morning at 7:00. It will be the kickoff for the 40th Annual Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Festival & Race. If the weather conditions are too windy or storms are forecast, the take off will be postponed until conditions are acceptable.

Pete Hodkinson came up with the concept for the Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race in 1974. Two years later, he was killed in a hot air balloon accident near Toccoa.

The race begins in Helen and the finish line is I-95 (anywhere between Maine and Miami). The shortest distance is 225 miles and the race usually takes two days. It has been done in one day, while some races have taken as many as four days. Six to ten balloons will be competing in the cross country race.

The winner is the first person to cross I-95, or whoever is ahead at sunset on Friday, May 31.

While the competition to the Atlantic continues, other balloonists will compete in local events beginning Thursday evening around 6:00. Local flying events will take place also on Friday and Saturday. The balloons will fly about 7:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. each day (weather permitting). The balloons will only fly for one or two hours.

There will be chances for the public to participate, as well: assisting with the inflations, being a part of a chase crew, taking a tethered ride in a balloon or a champagne flight over the mountains. About 20-25 balloons are expected to be flying locally during the balloon festival.

For more information, click on the link below.