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User:J Boogie1/U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship

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The U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship is an annual hot air ballooning competition sanctioned by the National Aeronautic Association through the Balloon Federation of America. It was first held in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1963. The Piccard Memorial Trophy is awarded to the top finisher of the competition, whom earns a bid to the world championships.

History

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The first event was held in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1963. The first champion was 18 year-old Dick Pollard and was awarded the Edward J. Hill Memorial Trophy. This award was later renamed to the Piccard Memorial Trophy.

Event

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Up to 50 pilots compete at the national competition each year. The pilots are selected from those that receive the most points throughout the year from competitions held around the United States, and the top 50 are invited. If pilots within the top 50 cannot attend, the next highest finishers are invited.

List of Championships

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= Inducted into the U.S. Ballooning Hall of Fame
Finalists
Year Location 1st Place Points 2nd Place Points 3rd Place Points Source
1963 Kalamazoo, Michigan  Dick Pollard (Colorado) [1][2]
1964 Reno, Nevada
Sky Ranch 		 Jimmy Craig (California) [1]
1965 Reno, Nevada
Stead 		 Jimmy Craig (California) [1]
1966 Reno, Nevada
Stead 		 George Craig (California) [1]
1967 No Event
1968 No Event
1969 No Event
1970 Des Moines, Iowa  Frank Pritchard (Michigan) [1]
1971 Indianola, Iowa  Dennis Floden (Michigan) [1]
1972 Indianola, Iowa  Bruce Comstock (Michigan) [1]
1973 Indianola, Iowa  Tom Gabel (Illinois) [1]
1974 Indianola, Iowa  Charles Ehrler (Kentucky) [1]
1975 Indianola, Iowa  David Medema (Michigan) [1]
1976 Indianola, Iowa  Bruce Comstock (Michigan) [1]
1977 Indianola, Iowa  Bruce Comstock (Michigan) [1]
1978 Indianola, Iowa  Sid Cutter (New Mexico) [1]
1979 Indianola, Iowa  Bruce Comstock (Michigan) [1]
1980 Indianola, Iowa  Steve Jones (Texas) [1]
1981 Indianola, Iowa  David Schaffer (Michigan) [1]
1982 Indianola, Iowa  Bruce Comstock (Michigan) [1]
1983 Indianola, Iowa  Owen Keown (California) [1]
1984 Indianola, Iowa  Al Nels (Indiana) [1]
1985 Indianola, Iowa  Al Nels (Indiana) [1]
1986 Indianola, Iowa  Sid Cutter (New Mexico) [1]
1987 Indianola, Iowa  Bruce Comstock (Michigan) [1]
1988 Indianola, Iowa  Rob Bartholomew (Iowa) [1]
1989 Baton Rouge, Louisiana  David Levin (Colorado) [1]
1990 Baton Rouge, Louisiana  Steve Jones (Texas) [1]
1991 Baton Rouge, Louisiana  Jeff Menchhofer (Indiana) [1]
1992 Middletown, Ohio  Joe Heartsill (Texas) [1]
1993 Middletown, Ohio  Harold Cliver (Texas) [1]
1994 Middletown, Ohio  Phil Glebe (Michigan) [1]
1995 Columbia, Missouri  Pat Cannon (Texas) [1]
1996 Columbia, Missouri  Harold Cliver (Texas) [1]
1997 Columbia, Missouri  Joe Heartsill (Texas) [1]
1998 Rantoul, Illinois  Johnny Petrehn (Texas) [1]
1999 Rantoul, Illinois  Joe Heartsill (Texas) [1]
2000 No Event
2001 Anderson, South Carolina  Nick Donner (Texas) [1]
2002 Anderson, South Carolina  Brian Beazly (Kentucky) [1]
2003 Anderson, South Carolina  Nick Donner (Texas) [1]
2004 Anderson, South Carolina  Paul Petrehn (Michigan) [1]
2005 Anderson, South Carolina  Paul Petrehn (Michigan) [1]
2006 Anderson, South Carolina  Pat Cannon (Texas) [1]
2007 Waco, Texas  Joe Heartsill (Texas) [1]
2008 Anderson, South Carolina  Joe Heartsill (Texas) [1]
2009 Battle Creek, Michigan  Nick Donner (Texas) [1]
2010 Battle Creek, Michigan  Nick Donner (Texas) [1]
2011 Battle Creek, Michigan  Nick Donner (Texas) [1]
2012 Longview, Texas  Chase Donner (Georgia) [1]
2013 Longview, Texas  Paul Petrehn (Michigan) [1]
2014 Longview, Texas  Johnny Petrehn (Kansas) 8898  Joe Heartsill (Texas) 8351  Rhett Heartsill (Texas) 8238 [1][3]
2015 Longview, Texas  Johnny Petrehn (Texas) 10733  Rhett Heartsill (Texas) 10241  Chase Donner (Georgia) 9422 [1][4]
2016 Shreveport, Louisiana  Rhett Heartsill (Texas) 16104  Nick Donner (Ohio) 15228  Joe Zvada (Texas) 15164 [1][5]
2017 Shreveport, Louisiana  Johnny Petrehn (Texas) [1]
2018 Shreveport, Louisiana  Rhett Heartsill (Texas)
2019 Scottsbluff, Nebraska
2020 Scottsbluff, Nebraska
2021 Scottsbluff, Nebraska

Multiple Edward J. Hill/Piccard Memorial Trophys

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Championships Pilot Years
6 Bruce Comstock 1972, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1987
5 Joe Heartsill 1992, 1997, 1999, 2007, 2008
5 Nick Donner 2001, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2011
4 Johnny Petrehn 1998, 2014, 2015, 2017
3 Paul Petrehn 2004, 2005, 2013
2 Jimmy Craig 1964, 1965
2 Sid Cutter 1978, 1986
2 Steve Jones 1980, 1990
2 Al Nels 1984, 1985
2 Harold Cliver 1993, 1996
2 Pat Cannon 1995, 2006
2 Rhett Heartsill 2016, 2018

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay "Past National Champions". Balloon Federation of America. Balloon Federation of America. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  2. ^ "The Early Years of Sport Ballooning: Dick Pollard". Ballooning History. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  3. ^ "2014 US Nationals Results". Balloon Federation of America. Balloon Federation of America. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  4. ^ "2015 US Nationals Results". Balloon Federation of America. Balloon Federation of America. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  5. ^ "2016 US Nationals Results". Balloon Federation of America. Balloon Federation of America. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
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