16-22 January 2005

The tiny village of Filzmoos, south of Salzburg, is the ultimate location for high-profile ballooning contests. Since 1993 the well-established International Hot Air Balloon Week in January has been followed by a competitive week as part of the Hanseatic Balloon Trophy, which attracts up to 25, mainly German, teams.

Two main factors account for Filzmoos' status as a pilgrimage site for balloonists - the challenging winds off the surrounding mountains and the fact that the balloons can take off from the middle of the village. This event draws thousands of people from the pistes to Filzmoos and it's not hard to see why.