Bristol Bears' Tom Tainton is enjoying the sunshine at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, after having just successfully showcased the team's new kit by dangling a giant version of it beneath the 'Huboo' hot air balloon as it took off during the early mass ascent this morning (Friday, August 12). He tells BristolLive that it got a great reaction from the crowd - no doubt full of Bears fans - as well as from the team themselves, who were 'really excited' during their morning team breakfast at their new High Performance Centre, just a stone's throw from the fiesta site, where they had live feeds up on their screens and were showing each other the iconic image of their 'out there', 'maverick', 'innovative' kit launch.
Tom says they "had a bit of a chuckle" and joked about Callum Sheedy hoisting the balloon after having done some "prep at the HPC before", but overall he says it was "just a really great atmosphere". The squad will be taking to the main arena later today, at around 4pm, where they will be inviting young fans to train with them.
Some of the team have already enjoyed yesterday's night glow and will be enjoying much more of the event over the weekend, but Tom tells us that today is their 'official day at the fiesta', adding: "Bristol Bears have a genuine vision to inspire the community - it's not just a soundbite, it's a genuine vision for the club and for everyone who gets the privilege of working there, so the balloon fiesta is an opportunity to be a part of that community.
