The 68th edition of the Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett officially came to an end yesterday. After three challenging nights in the air, all the teams have now landed safely, marking the conclusion of an extraordinary aerial adventure. 

This year’s winners are the Swiss team SUI 1, composed of Kurt Frieden and Pascal Witprächtiger, who achieved an outstanding performance with a landing on the banks of the Danube in Romania, after covering 1358.29 kilometers flown in 67 hours and 34 minutes.

Second place was claimed by the German team GER 3, composed of Benedict Munz and Matthias Schlegel, who flew 1,259.02 kilometers. 

Third place went to the French team FRA 2, with Éric Décellières and Benoît Havret, landing after 1,257.62 kilometers. 

The winners: Kurt Frieden and Pascal Witprächtiger are the most decorated team in this year’s field. With over 3,500 hours of gas balloon flying and three decades of experience, they bring unmatched expertise to the sport. 

Five-time winners of the Gordon Bennett Cup as of yesterday, they remain the benchmark for excellence in ballooning.  Every team in this year’s race pulled off something remarkable. Whether seasoned pros or newcomers, they all braved tough weather, long nights, and tricky navigation. Each flight was a true adventure. 

Behind the balloons, a whole support crew made it all possible. From the Control Center in Metz to the ground teams, meteorologists, and advisors, everyone worked hard to keep the pilots safe and informed. 

A message from Cathy Picard, President of the Organizing Committee: “To everyone who helped bring this 68th edition to life — volunteers, local partners, sponsors, and the ballooning community: Your energy and support made it unforgettable". 

The Gordon Bennett Cup is the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale/World Air Sports Federation) World Long Distance Gas Balloon Championship. It continues to inspire aeronautics enthusiasts around the world.

The results are attached in a file to this AVIONEWS.

Below, the video: