Race Looks To Be Flying To Historic Finish

Barely 48 hours after a beautiful launch into a flawless night sky, ANN can report that the 'America's Challenge' is aptly named. According to officials with the race, 'just two balloons remain aloft in the 15th America’s Challenge distance race for gas balloons – and it looks like regardless of who wins, history will be made.'

The America's Challenge Gas Balloon Race was founded by the Balloon Fiesta in 1995 due to the vision and efforts of Mark Sullivan, former Balloon Fiesta President and recipient of the Montgolfier Diplome (one of ballooning's highest honors), who saw the need for America to be identified with the world's most prestigious ballooning sport. The America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race is modeled after the Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett, but it differs from the older event in allowing balloons from all countries, without limits on the number of entries from each. The team that travels the longest distance wins. 1995 was the first year of the America’s Challenge, and has been held in Albuquerque every year since.

The Command Center has received reports that Bert Padelt and Louis Vitanza (Team 4) landed safely earlier this evening northwest of St. Louis, MO. Cheri White and Mark Sullivan (Team 5) reported a safe landing SSW of Iowa City, IA.

That leaves just two competitors still flying. Albuquerque’s Barbara Fricke and Peter Cuneo (Team 3) are at this writing west of Chicago and have flown 1,027 miles (1,653 km) since leaving Balloon Fiesta Park early Saturday morning. Canadian ballooning champion Danielle Francoeur and rookie co-pilot Linda Ellis from San Jose, CA (Team 7), have been sailing along about 40 miles behind for much of the race.

This means that almost certainly the America’s Challenge will be won by a female primary pilot for only the second time in the event’s history (Janet Folkes, with Bill Arras as co-pilot, won in 2005) -- though several women have won as co-pilots. In fact, all three of the top positions in the race currently are held by female primary pilots (Barbara Fricke, Danielle Francoeur, Cheri White). If this result holds, we’ll have what the Command Center’s only female controller, Ruth Lind, calls a “pink podium.” While officials haven’t had time to do the research, they note that 'it’s almost certain that this is a first in the annals of competitive distance gas ballooning.'

As we report this, it is nighttime now in Illinois, and since balloonists try to avoid landing in the dark it is likely the remaining competitors will fly at least until daylight. ANN will keep you updated...

FMI: www.balloonfiesta.com/GasTracking/2010