Situated in the UK countryside, Gloucestershire Airport will host a hot air balloon race for the UK’s oldest sporting trophy – the Queen’s Cup.
Originally presented in 1947 as a wedding gift for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the event is due to take place later this year in October, with final dates still to be confirmed. It will the first time in a decade that the trophy will be contested by a hot air balloon race. The balloonists and their crews will launch from Gloucestershire Airport’s newly refurbished runway before heading off wherever the winds will steer them. The winning crew will be the one that touches down furthest away from the airport in a straight line on the following evening.
Karen Taylor, Gloucestershire Airport’s Managing Director expressed her delight at hosting the prestigious event as she described it as “a great honour to have been chosen to host the 2023 Queen’s Cup hot air balloon race.”
She added that everyone at the airport is thrilled at the prospect of being involved in the event. “We’re currently working closely with the event organisers to confirm all necessary details and plan how we’ll deliver the event. We’re very much looking forward to playing host and getting the competition underway,”
