The Swiss Team of Kurt Frieden And Pascal Witprächtiger Won The 59th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett Competition

The Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett, the FAI World Long Distance Gas Balloon Championship, is the oldest and claimed to be the most prestigious event in aviation, and the ultimate challenge for the pilots. It is a story full of adventure, skill, courage, survival and luck. The goal is simple: to fly the furthest non-stop distance from the launch site.

The competition was declared open by FAI Executive Board Member Gillian Rayner during the Opening Ceremony on the evening of August 27 at the beautiful mansion La villa Sainte Basil. The next day, flawless weather conditions allowed for an imposing launch into a clear, moonlit sky at the horse racing track in Pau. You have to admit, balloon competition occurs in a terribly civilized setting.

About 5.000 spectators on-site supported the teams, cheered when their National Anthems were performed live and contributed to the emotional departure of the world’s best gas balloon pilots. After less than 1 hour, the last competitors took off into the French sky in the evening.

Having left Pau, France, in the evening of August 28, the winning Swiss Team landed near Jaczno, Poland, after 68 hours and 20 minutes aloft and 1,293 miles from the take-off point at about 8:30am on September first. Balloon record setting is not a high speed event!

In total, 17 teams of eight nations took part in this oldest race of aviation, happening in Pau, France, on the northern edge of the Pyrenees.

(Image from the Course.Gordon.Bennett Facebook page)

FMI: www.gordonbennett.aero