Release a balloon for Wessex Cancer Trust WESSEX Cancer Trust turns 40 in 2021 and is taking celebrations to new heights by launching a packed year of events and activities with a virtual balloon race. The race will start from the Eiffel Tower, Paris, on Valentine’s Day and last for seven days. A virtual balloon race is an eco-friendly simulation of a balloon flight. Live weather data and complex mathematical and physics algorithms simulate how your balloon will fly. Each balloon costs £3. You can choose its colour and add text, as well as technical things like its helium content, rubber thickness and shape. Your choices will determine your balloon’s altitude and speed, and how likely it is to pop.