Quick Facts
Biography
Nicola Scaife is an Australian hot air balloonist. She has won the FAI Women’s World Hot Air Balloon Championship twice, in 2014 and 2016.
Life
Scaife was born and raised in Albury, New South Wales, Australia. As a teenager, Scaife represented Australia in marathon kayaking as a teenager, however she was forced to retire due to injury. She went on a hot air balloon flight with her mother and became interested in the industry - she started working for a hot air balloon company, initially in administration and support roles, and then began flying in 2006. In 2007 she earnt her private Pilot’s Certificate and later moved on to become a Commercial Pilot.
Her first competition ballooning event was in 2013 in Canowindra, New South Wales. In 2014 Scaife won the first women's world championship event in Leszno, Poland, in what was only her fourth competitive event. In July 2016 she successfully defended her title at the 2nd FAI Women’s World Hot Air Balloon Championship in Birstonas, Lithuania.
Scaife and her husband run a hot air ballooning company in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia.