Images from 36th Icicle Meet 2008
© All images Flycam BMSS Ltd
36th Icicle Meet
5th-6th January 2008
The very first Icicle Balloon Meet was held at Marsh Benham, Newbury, the weekend of the 6th and 7th January 1973 when 25 different balloons took part. Thirty-five years later and still organised by The Dante Group the 36th Icicle Meet took place over the first weekend in the new year 5th and 6th January 2008. Despite no flying on the Saturday due to rain and high winds an overnight frost enabled 32 different balloons fly from Warren Farm in the Savernake Forest where James and Fiona Liddiard have invited balloons to fly from every year since moving there from Marsh Benham in 1993.
The 36th Icicle also saw the base used for the social gatherings and the now customary trade stands move from the Hilton Hotel alongside the M4 at Swindon and return to the Elcot Park Hotel just off the quieter A4 between Hungerford and Newbury where it had been based between 1976 and 1984.
The Saturday evening dinner, held in the main restaurant, was attended by a record 115 people and after a most enjoyable three course meal the guest speaker, Robin Batchelor, gave a most entertaining speech about his time and memories in ballooning including some of the more amusing sides of the commisions undertaken with Flying Pictures.
At the prize giving on the Sunday afternoon it was announced that it had been decided to ‘retire’ the Chequers Trophy (awarded for the longest flight from Icicle) and that following the sad death of Vic Trimble since the last Icicle it had been decided to replace the ‘Chequers Trophy’ with ‘The Vic Trimble Trophy’ in memory of Vic. This was won by Tony Brown who flew G-SSTI landing at Leavesden near Watford after a flight of 92kms.
Other prize-winners included:
Bob Jones - The Veuve Cliquot Cup (Travelled furthest with balloon to be at Icicle)
Lou Watts - The Elcot Park Hotel Prize (Landing Grid Reference adding up to 36)
Marie Orchard – The Gemini Trophy (Oldest Balloon to fly out of the field)
Peter Smart – The Peter Hornfleck Trophy (For smartest balloon including tethered only)
Mark Granger – Norman Betts Trophy (For Newest Pilot at Icicle)
Jennie and Richard D’Alton – Marsh Benham Trophy (For Services to Ballooning in the Newbury Area) for their work in revamping the Ballooning exhibit at the West Berkshire Museum.
With Thanks to icicle.org.uk and The Dante Group