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UK to host oldest gas balloon race

UK to host oldest gas balloon race

The UK is set to play host to a gas balloon race for the first time.
The world's oldest aviation event - the 54th Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett race - will be flagged off from Ashton Court in Bristol on September 25.
Participants - including three from Great Britain this year - have to fly the furthest distance from the starting point in a balloon to win the event.
Among the patrons of the race are the Duke of Edinburgh and Sir Richard Branson.
Sir Richard said: "I know from some of my own long distance balloon flights what a challenge and adventure this will be, and I will be watching the live tracking on the website with great interest."
Each team will have two pilots and a ground support team. To control the gas balloons, pilots have to release gas to go down and throw out sand to go up.
Small wicker baskets equipped with flight instruments, radios, food and warm clothing will be the cabin of the pilots.
The pilots in command of the British teams are David Hempleman-Adams, Colin Butter and Janet Folkes. Mr Hempleman-Adams' team won the competition in 2008.
The first balloon race took place in Paris in 1906.
Copyright © Press Association 2010
http://www.gordonbennett2010.com/

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