To the victors the spoils! Swiss pilots reign at Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett 2016

Switzerland’s Kurt Frieden and Pascal Witpraechtiger (Team SUI 1) were crowned champions of the 60th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett – the world’s most prestigious gas balloon race – at an elegant ceremony in Gladbeck, northwest Germany tonight.

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Gas balloons touch down in Greece for the very first time

Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett 2016 champions - Switzerland’s Kurt Frieden and Pascal Witpraechtiger (Team SUI 1) - made history when they landed in Stavros in central Greece during this year’s race.

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How to survive 48 hours - or more - in a 1m2 gas balloon basket

Gas balloon racing teams often spend days in the air - sharing a tiny space and sometimes dealing with stressful situations. Here, Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett pilots explain what makes a partnership capable of surviving a long-distance flight in such cramped conditions.

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Victory for Switzerland’s Kurt Frieden and Pascal Witpraechtiger

It’s official! After flying 1,803.40 kilometres from Gladbeck in northwest Germany to Stavros in central Greece, Switzerland’s Kurt Frieden and Pascal Witpraechtiger (Team SUI-01) have won the 60th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett.

The champions – the first gas balloon pilots ever to fly in Greek airspace – will be presented with their medals in Gladbeck tomorrow evening.

See the full, official results of the 2016 edition of the world’s oldest and most prestigious gas balloon race at http://bit.ly/2cMJq3U.

The view from below: Gordon Bennet Event Organiser Stefan Handl’s take on this year’s race

With 24 teams from around the world taking part, the 60th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett was the biggest ever.

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Touchdown! Team SUI-01 crosses the sea to Greece to win

Team SUI-01: “So now we are descending over beautiful flat ground. Thank you to all our team for the fantastic support. It was a great time and we can still find it hard to believe that our dream is about to come true...”

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Day 2 roundup: 5,000m, 50km/h and a long night ahead

Five balloons are left in the race after a day that has seen the three leading pilots stretch ahead by several hundred kilometres, and many others landing after some 40-hours of flying...

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Tuesday lunchtime update – 'Three strategies emerge'

Stefan Handl, Event Director, gives his thoughts on the race unfolding today. 'The second group will be looking to use the Mistral wind-effect and then exit the mainland of France and continue on to the Mediterranean sea...'

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The Head Game: ‘You have to tough it out – it’s a real mental battle’

“After 12 hours all you want to do is land.” Talking before the race launch on Sunday night, British balloonist Jonathan Harris, who has been a pilot in the Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett and was there supporting Team GBR 01, explained a little about the mental side of this sport...

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Day 2: Race leaders cross the Alps, head south

The race has split, with one group climbing high and crossing the Alps while a second group plays strategy to the north. We update who's landed and the state of play...

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