NICK 将缺席巴西世锦赛

       上届热气球世界锦标赛冠军,美国著名选手Nicholas Donner因不满主办方的组织工作决定放弃今年七月在巴西举行的第21届热气球世界锦标赛参赛资格。

       本届世锦赛将在巴西圣保罗省的 Rio Claro举行,组织工作从一开始就不顺利,因为在器材运输方面、车辆及设备租用方面、食宿方面的各种问题,招致一些国家的飞行员和国家协会的不满,少数飞行员决定放弃参赛资格,参赛国家由32个降至27个。

        Nick Donner是20届世锦赛冠军,19届世锦赛亚军,由竞赛组委会直接邀请参加比赛,不占美国队参赛名额,他在确认报名的最后一天,宣布放弃参赛资格。以下是他写给组委会的信:

Gentlemen I am writing to inform you that I will be withdrawing my entry from the world championship. I have several reasons for doing this. Mainly I have no faith in the organizer of the event. The constant e-mails to individuals offering equipment, free entry, housing etc is simply not sportsmanlike and not becoming of something I want to be a part of.

I have also lost all faith in the Event Director to be the conduit between the pilots and the organizer and represent the group from which he came. Notwithstanding the fact the he intends to only use 3D scoring and I do not believe this is safe as it promotes competitors flying erratically and dangerously in close proximity to the ground and other competitors.

The last reason is the expense of the trip which for me being from the USA has not been changed by any of the decisions the organizer has made. I simply wish to not accrue over $15,000 in debt just to defend my championship when I can do it for a 1/3 or less of that cost in Albuquerque or Saga in 2016 with an organization and director that will promote safety, camaraderie, and sportsmanship.

Sincerely-

Nick Donner
2012 World Hot Air Balloon Champion