Take part

and help to raise funds for playground equipment

 

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100% eco-friendly – no animals or birds killed, no litter

The race is a computer simulation where everything is real except the balloons.

Live weather data determines the progress of each balloon and each entry can be tracked once the race has started.

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How to take part

 

To enter, click the blue link above and buy as many balloons as you wish.

Customise your balloons' size, shape, colour and pattern; determine the thickness of the latex and the amount of helium. 

To create a potentially winning balloon it pays to check the current weather conditions before the race starts and chose your balloon parameters accordingly. 

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START: 2nd June, 12:00, from Westminster Abbey (virtually)

END: 9th June, 12:00

WINNER: the winners are the furthest flying balloons in any direction

TRACK YOUR BALLOON: https://ecoracing.co/race/view/20  (at Ecoracing – QE II Platinum Jubilee Race.) Log in to your own account to track all of your own balloons.

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Prizes

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Prizes for furthest flying balloons in whole race:
1) £500 Cash
2) Apple iPad
3) 10 lucky winners of £10 Book Token

Additional prizes for furthest Gordon School balloons:

1) £ 50 cash prize from Bernard Skinner
2) £20 M&S voucher

3) £10 M&S voucher

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What are we raising the funds for?

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New playground equipment! Some of the current equipment is battered and weathered and needs to be replaced. Our main goal currently is to raise £10 000 + to fund new playground equipment. 

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Your Balloons

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What makes a balloon burst?

Real balloons made of latex rubber are notoriously vulnerable and your virtual balloon is no different. If you chose thin rubber to make your balloon fly higher and therefore faster, your balloon could just explode if the wind speeds become excessive.

Balloons flying at lower levels are often struck by geese flying at higher altitudes than normal birds. If your balloon is at a very low level and heading for rocky Earth, it could even strike an electricity pylon or church spire. Conversely, flying at the highest altitude possible increases the risk of bursting from excess swelling through intense sunlight or orbital debris, for example.

 

If my balloon bursts can I still win? 

Absolutely you can! The health status of each balloon is calculated every 15 minutes and whether your balloon wins the race is dependent on several factors, some of which can be influenced by yourself, some of which are purely weather based. When a balloon’s health deteriorates below zero per cent, it will burst / pop.

If your popped balloon happens to be in the lead, you may still win, because:
a) Your chasers may pop too. 
b) The wind direction might change completely and the balloon start flying back on themselves. In effect they never catch up with you. Your balloon will only become invisible once other live balloons have passed your position.

 

Why is my balloon flying in a different direction to the others? 

British weather is dominated by maritime systems and the Jet Stream, so whereas a high-pressure zone can sit stationary over the Azores off Africa for months, British weather changes daily. Similarly, North American air masses are multi-directional

If your balloon hits a sudden windy squall, it can be retracked into another front as per diagram. Your balloon will then start flying in a completely different direction to the other race participants.

Whilst that might seem disconcerting / worrying it’s not the end of the world. And that’s because the winner of the race is the balloon that’s flown the furthest in ANY direction

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