HISTORY OF THE GORDON BENNETT AERONAUTICAL CUP

The Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett is the oldest and most prestigious gas balloon competition in the world, established in 1906 by James Gordon Bennett Jr., the son of a wealthy American newspaper magnate and founder of the New York Herald.
His goal was to create a event, combining technological challenge and human, in which participants had to travel the distance.

Bennett, who was passionate about sports and discovery, initially financed other prestigious competitions, such as car races and overseas expeditions, including Stanley’s expedition to find Dr. Livingstone in Africa. His adventure then led him to organize aeronautical events. In 1905, in Pau, he created the Coupe des Pyrénées, a balloon race over the mountains. success, he organized then the first Gordon Bennett Cup in 1906 in Paris, at the Jardin des Tuileries. This first edition attracted more than 100,000 spectators, making the race an international event from beginnings.

France has made history in the Gordon Bennett on several
occasions, including winning several editions. The first French victory dates back to 1912, with the crew of Maurice Bienaimé and René Rumpelmayer, who covered 2,191 km between Stuttgart and Moscow in 45 hours. This flight remained a world distance record until 2005. More recently, the French team of Eric Decellieres and Benoit Havret won the 2023 edition with a flight of 2,661.40 km in 85h 43 mns consolidating France’s place in the competition’s nations ranking.

Vincent Leÿs, a legendary figure in the French gas ballooning world, won the Gordon Bennett 9 times, marking the history of this prestigious competition. Known for his experience and instinct as a driver, he participated in several iconic races, including the remarkable 2002 edition. During that race, he and his brother launched from Châtellerault, flew over the Atlantic Ocean for many hours, and returned to the Portuguese coast at its southwestern extremity. Beyond his achievement as a competitor, Vincent Leÿs played a crucial role in training numerous pilots and contributed significantly to saving gas ballooning in France from near extinction.

The balloons used in the Gordon Bennett are gas balloons, today filled mainly with hydrogen. A typical racing balloon has a volume limited to 1,000 cubic meters, much smaller than traditional hot air balloons, but it can fly for up to 100 hours without interruption (this duration record was broken in November 2024 by a German crew). Pilots must carefully manage their ballast and gas to maximize the distance travelled. Flying is a true endurance race, where every strategic decision about altitude and winds can make a difference.

Several editions of the Gordon Bennett have left an indelible mark on the history of balloon:
• In 1997, departing from Warstein in Germany, after more than 60 hours of flight, the three balloons landed on the shore of the Black Sea, with the French Leys brothers crew winning the race.
• For the 2009 edition, the pilots flew over the Mediterranean for the first time, with French Vincent Leys and Sebastien Rolland landing after more than 70 hours of flight in Portugal, balloons scattered around the sea landing in Sardinia, Algeria, or the Balearic Islands.

• The last 2024 edition started from Münster, Germany where Moselle pilots Guillaume Jouaville and Christophe Houver finished fourth, after a spectacular flight of 2084 km in 64 hours, flying over four countries.the race was marked by a breathtaking finish. The SUI1 balloon Cape Saint Vincent over the Mediterranean to land. Alas, the Austrian crew of Christian Wagner and Stefanie Liller, half an hour later flying over the Atlantic Ocean, made the same manoeuvre to land barely 1.5km (2111.17km for 67 hours of flight). The German GER 3 crew came up short at 2.8 km from the winners !

Gordon Bennett 2024 : the crews flew over Metz at 7:45 a.m. on Sunday, September 15

The Gordon Bennett continues to attract pilots from all over the world. The 2025 edition should gather about 30 teams representing 14 nations, each one pushing the limits of gas ballooning. Thanks to the modernisation of the tracking systems and the growing interest in ballooning, the race is now followed by an international audience in real time, making each edition more exciting than the last one.

More than just a race, the Gordon Bennett represents ultimate challenge of strategy and skill. For more than a hundred years, it has brought together the best pilots in the world, each driven by the desire to push the limits of what is possible. The race celebrates not only human ingenuity, but also the spirit of adventure and exploration, captivating spectators across the globe.

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