From Algiers, they will try to get onto a ferry to Marseille… it seems that they’re not yet home but everything looks well coordinated by the ambassadors and the mood in Algeria is very good. What an adventure!

In a few hours this Gordon Bennett race 2009 will be over and the top 3 known. We can say it now: it was one of the most exciting and thrilling races of the last years. We see again that flying to the south is not so easy for the pilots and certainly not for the meteorologist.

And now we hope that FRA 1 makes a safe landing! Results as soon as FRA1 has landed!

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Good morning!

There is still one team in the air. The French pilots Sebastien Rolland and Vincent Leys are approaching the Portugese airspace these minutes. They are now airborne since more than 80 hours.

Now, as the landing positions of all other teams are known, these two pilots will certainly try to benefit and fly “just” a little bit further. But that should not be an easy task. The sun will quickly heat the land and create convection and gusts will be challenging the pilots. Meteo in the area also needs to be monitored closely.

09.09.2009 0705: Team SUI 2 (Stoll/Mattenberger) made stand-up landing

A very memorable flight. Congratulations to the swiss pilots Christian Stoll and Walter Mattenberger for their great flight!

After 80:01 hours flight-time and a distance of 1179 kms (preliminary results) a stand-up landing marked the end of the journey across 4 countries.

Christian Stoll also is the record-breaking participant in the long tradition of the Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett. No other pilot represented his country more often than Christian Stoll (21 times, 19 flights, 1988-2009). 

Credits http://www.ballon.eu/2009_coupe_eboard.html

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The Bel1 and Fin1 teams are in a private hotel of the Algerian Government. Everything seems OK and there is a great protection from the government. (5 policemen on and around the hotel room of Luc and Ronny). Today the balloons are on the news all over Algeria in prime time. Also in Belgium reporters have heard the news about the Belgian Gordon Bennett competitors (released to Belga by Eddy Allcock, with our thanks). This resulted in massive visits to our website that was out of order for some time. But that also we could fix overnight with help from Luc in Algeria.

The pilots found a solution to recharge their cell phones so we have re-established contact at about 18:00 hr this afternoon. The men packed the unharmed balloons this afternoon, so they are ready for transport. Normally transport will be arranged by AUT1 with lots of help from our Ambassadors. Tomorrow the police will escort the teams to Algiers, where they will try to catch a ferry to Marseille. Our chasing team was sent from sunny Alicante back to Marseille today. The 3 teams are well and safe and receive lots of help from all authorities. We want to thank you to everybody who helped us or tried to help us!    

Meanwhile the team USA2 Sullivan/White landed in Portugal but some other teams are still flying and starting their 4^th night in the air to try to win this fantastic race! We presume that all the balloons will land tomorrow morning and then we will know the winner of this tremendous and thrilling 53th coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett 2009. But we can say it already now: it was a difficult race and all the teams where FANTASTIC.

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6 Teams are now entering their third night in European skies. Imagine a 1.2 m² basket where pilots work and sleep, develop strategies and ask for clearances, monitor the weather and discuss forecasts with their ground support teams. Bravo à tous les équipages. Well done – so far.

The teams GBR 2 (Janet Folkes / Ann-Ruth Rich), USA 2 (Mark Sullivan / Cheryl White), SUI 1 (Kurt Frieden / Pascal Witpraechtiger), FRA 1 (Sebastien Rolland / Vincent Leys), USA 3 (Andy Cayton / Samuel Canders) and SUI 2 (Christian Stoll / Walter Mattenberger) are now all flying in Spanish Airspace.

Team USA 2 is currently in the lead. However, we are now at the beginning of a long night and the strategies will certainly result into some interesting outcome by the time the sun is going to rise over Spain.

Enjoy the live-tracking. Think of the pilots and wish them luck. Good night!

In Geneva, we will keep an eye on you – for sure!

Credits http://www.ballon.eu/2009_coupe_eboard.html

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07.09.2009 09:00 loc (monday): Bulletin

The Coupe continues to deliver very challenging stories.

Yesterday (sunday) four balloons had landed safely: GER2, GER1, FRA and GER3. During the early hours last night team GBR 1 had concluded its flight in the NE of Spain.

We very closely monitored the teams AUT, FIN and BEL who are just north of Algeria. Flying into Tunesia was their preferred option but then the track along the shoreline to the W / SW was chosen. Winds are slower than forecast but should pick up. Teams are in contact with Algerian CAA and we do our best through our sources to assist them. Teams keep on trying to reach winds into Marocco.

At this very moment, Team USA1 (Fricke/Cuneo) appears to be approaching their landing site in the SW of France.

Team USA2 (Sullivan/White) made a turn around the beautiful Baleraric islands. They are expected to head along the Spanish coast and will try to make landfall later today / tonight. It is not an easy task.

All the other teams (GBR1, FRA1, USA3, SUI 1, SUI2, SUI3) are in the area of Barcelona – Valencia and will also try to enter Spanish mainland during the final stages of the race.

Credits http://www.ballon.eu/2009_coupe_eboard.html

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The teams on the ground are sitting nearly 24/24 behind the computer trying to find ‘the right direction’.

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All balloons are still flying and they are moving pretty quickly.

Some of the teams are over the Mediterranean now heading for Africa (off limits) during the day they must make a turn…

Yes, it’s a distance race, but it is also a highly tactical one. Stay tuned as the sun comes up and the strategy plays out in the world’s greatest distance gas balloon races.

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