The Egg A Day Balloon Pulls Another Stunt

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Media Release

27th March 2008

The Egg A Day Balloon Pulls Another Stunt

The Egg A Day hot air balloon and its infamous and daring pilot, Rick Walczak, are making history with a tricky trapeze act that was last attempted over 100 years ago!

On Saturday, 29th March, Rick will team up with trapeze artist Pipi-Ayesha Evans of Wellington and fly over Masterton’s township at 1000ft with Pipi dangling below performing acrobatic tricks.

The stunt is being held to coincide with this year’s Wairarapa Balloon Fiesta. The duo has already held an extremely successful practice run for the stunt two weeks ago, however, the balloon was only tethered at the time at a mere 100ft.

“It will be quite a different experience when we free fly and of course we will be climbing much higher and unlike our practice run, Pipi will need to haul herself back in the basket on a single rope before we land,” explains Rick.

“Providing the wind conditions are good, I feel confident that Pipi and I can pull it off without any problems,” he says.

The stunt was first attempted back in 1894 by a graceful young American woman, Leila Adair, the self–styled "Aerial Queen." Leila travelled New Zealand, performing acrobatic acts on a trapeze bar under a hot air balloon but was unsuccessful in her Masterton attempt after the balloon caught fire at the park oval and the act was abandoned.

The stunt is scheduled to take place at 7.00am on Saturday morning but the destination the balloon will take off from is yet to be confirmed.

ENDS

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