The 66th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett, the world's premier balloon race, is set to take off from Albuquerque, New Mexico, featuring 17 gas balloons and crews competing for the longest distance flight in a historic aviation challenge.
The 66th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett, the world's most prestigious gas balloon race, is being hosted by the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta with 17 international teams competing.
The competition, which determines the winner by the greatest distance covered from the starting point, demands exceptional physical endurance, mental resilience, and understanding of weather patterns.
Germany's Wilhelm and Benjamin Eimers, a father-son duo who won last year, are highlighted as a team to watch, with Wilhelm boasting five previous victories.
Established in 1906 by James Gordon Bennett Jr., the race has a storied history of remarkable feats, including record-breaking distances and durations, often lasting 50-65 hours.
The 66th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett—-the world’s most prestigious gas balloon race that’s also known as the FAI World Long Distance Gas Balloon Championship—is set for Saturday at 6 p.m. MDT (1 a.m. Sunday UTC).
The event will be hosted by the renowned Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, with 17 crews ascending to the skies in pursuit of victory.
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Amy Wilder fell in love with airplanes at age 8 when her brother-in-law took her up in a Cessna 172. Pretty soon, Amy's bedroom walls were covered with images of vintage airplanes, and she was convinced she'd be a bush pilot in Alaska one day. She became a journalist instead, which is also somewhat impractical—but with fewer bears. Now she's working on her private pilot certificate and ready to be a lifelong student of the art of flying.
