BEL 1 pilots are back in Europe!

BEL 1 pilots are back in Europe! Ronny and Luc, and also the pilots from FIN1 did come back to Europe (Marseille) overnight. Before the trip, they packed their balloons carefully and arranged also shipment for the equipment. Ronny and Luc are heading for Geneva now for the debriefing and closing ceremony tomorrow Saturday.
End good, [...]

Here they are!

The French team (FRA1) won the “53e Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett”, after 4 days of flight, landing near the airport of Lagos, in the extreme south-west of Portugal.Sébastien ROLLAND and Vincent LEYS have flown 1587 km,overtaking the Swiss 1 team of 17 km!
 As required by the rules, France will be the organizer of the 55th Coupe [...]

Bel1 congratulates all the teams

The pilots and the complete team of the BELGICA II want to congratulate Sébastien and Vincent (FRA1) and all the competitors at this 53th Gordon Bennett for their achievements.
It was an unbelievable exciting race with plucky landings on difficult places.
Our pilots would be happy to be in Spain or Portugal too but at the same [...]

Press corner (1)

The 53th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett in the press:

Online articles:
F.A.I. – Leys and Rolland win the 53rd Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett
Het Laatste Nieuws – Belgische ballonvaarders op weg naar Portugal stranden ten oosten van Algiers
Het Nieuwsblad – Belgische ballonvaarders landen onverwacht in Algerije
Sportwereld – Belgische ballonvaarders landen onverwacht in Algerije
Deredactie.be – Meloenen i.p.v. porto: ballonvaarders [...]

Director’s corner (13)

09.09.2009 12:00 loc / 10:00 UTC Team FRA landed in Portugal
With the safe landing of the last team – Sébastien Rolland / Vincent Leys – the 53e. Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett came to an end.
What an epic race. Bravo à lous les équipages. Pilots and teams well done.
You all promoted gasballooning in the best possible [...]

They did it…

All teams safely landed now. FRA 1, Sébastien Rolland and Vincent Lëys, just confirmed safe landing in Portugal, Lagos Airport area. Congratulations to all teams!