News - 2014

14:49 Friday 9 Aug 2013 Sue Pelling/CWLHot air balloonist takes to the waters

Alison Hougham, sailing with her team aboard her Bavaria 40 – The Packhouse – in Cruising Division A, says she is having a great Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week but is finding it a struggle to improve her results at this stage in the regatta.

Hougham, who has only been sailing two years, and whose other sport is hot air ballooning, says she’s got to the point in this regatta where it’s difficult to improve much. “I am absolutely loving the regatta and we, as a team, have worked really hard but this boat really is a cruising boat and we can’t compete so well against some of the faster boats in the fleet. However, I am using the time here on the racecourse as a great opportunity to accustom myself to Cowes Week and improve my skills, so if ever I step into a more racy class, I’ll have some good, big regatta, race experience behind me.”

Hot air ballooning, Hougham’s other sport, which she participates in all over the world, is not an activity usually associated with sailing but interestingly enough Hougham says there are some surprising similarities. “Navigation is similar, the winds are similar, and there are elements that can really catch you out such as the air currents in ballooning, and tidal currents in sailing. With both sports you are totally at the mercy of nature.”

The Packhouse team were lying ninth as they headed out on the water this morning and they were hoping to at least improve on their best result of the week so far, eighth.