NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
Contact: Ann Mort 513-649-4506, RMort@cinci.rr.com

July 18, 2010

TROUTMAN WINS MIDFIRST OHIO CHALLENGE 

Louisville KY hot air balloon pilot David Troutman, flying the Celtic Cross balloon, won the MidFirst Ohio Challenge 2010 trophy in Middletown, OH on Sunday, July 18, 2010.  Placing second was Henry Rosenbaum from Mechanicsville VA, flying the American Football balloon.  Placing third was Mike Emick from Akron OH, flying Second Wind.  Emich also placed third in the 2009 MidFirst Ohio Challenge.

The highest ranking pilot from the Middletown area was Sean Askren in the Atrium Medical Center balloon who won 5th place.

Due to weather conditions, only one of the three scheduled competitive flights could take to the air.  The winner was decided on which balloonist could choose a take off point and fly to a designated target on the ground to drop a weighted streamer nearest the center of the “X.” Hot air balloons can fly only early morning and early evening and only when wind speeds are less than 12 miles per hour. Their steering is determined by heating the air inside the balloon to go up or letting it cool to go down to find a wind current blowing the direction they want to go.

The MidFirst Ohio Challenge is a sanctioned event where pilots earn points toward their national standing and the right to participate in the national championships each year.

Also at the awards brunch held on Sunday, long-time Middletown hot air balloonist James Wannemacher was announced as the winner of the first Spirit of the Challenge award for his long years of promoting hot air ballooning, his involvement in bringing ballooning to Middletown, his involvement in the U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championships held in Middletown in 1992, 1993 and 1994, and the first seven years of the MidFirst Ohio Challenge as a committee member and 2006 champion.

The MidFirst Ohio Challenge will once again take to the skies over Middletown July 15, 16 and 17, 2011.  Details as they become available will be posted to the www.MidFirstOhioChallenge.com website.

1500  Central Avenue
Middletown, OH 45044
513-705-1770
www.MidFirstOhioChallenge.com info@OhioChallenge.com

Primary Sponsor
MidFirst Credit Union

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Middletown Community
    Foundation

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AT&T Real Yellow Pages
Chamber of Commerce serving
     Middletown, Monroe, Trenton
City of Middletown
JP Morgan Chase/Barnitz Fund
Manchester Inn & Conference    
    Center
Middletown Convention &    
    Visitors Bureau
Start Skydiving.com-
    Team Fastrax

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Community Development
    Professionals

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Digital Visuals
Meijer Stores
Middletown Journal/Cox Ohio Publishing-
     Official Information Source
WPFB 910am, 105.9 fm

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AAA Ohio Auto Club
Atrium Medical Center
Bern’s Garden Center
Butler County Visitor’s Bureau
Christian Credit Outreach, Inc.
Costco
Dillman Foods
GFS Market Place
Grace Baptist Church
LeafFillerGutter Protection
Miami University Middletown
Middletown Area Senior Center
Ocean Spray Cran-Energy
Otterbein Homes

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AK Steel
Al Neyer, Inc
BioLife Plasma Services
Clark, Schaefer, Hackett & Co
Cohen Brothers
Crossroads Hospice
Garden Manor
Hawthorn Glen
Kleingers & Associates
MillerCoors Brewery
MobilComm Communications
OmniCom Solutions, Inc
Rumpke
Summit Family Physicians

Other
Premier Allergy & Asthma Assoc

Special Thanks
B & B Aero
Broad Street Bash
Bryte Signs
Butler Co Recycling & Solid Waste District
Donato’s Pizza
Holy Family Parish
Langendorf Law
Middletown Aviation Foundation
Middletown Public Library
Middletown Regional Airport
TriTech Light & Sound
TV Middletown
United Way

Corporate Balloons
Atrium Medical Center
Bella Balloon Hot Air Balloon Co
Gentle Breeze Balloon Co.
Remax