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Who's going where and what do pilots think?

GB2016 gladbeck 16The pilot briefing on Saturday 17 September 2016, 30-hours ahead of the launch time, had everyone talking about the weather. We asked some of the pilots what they thought of the forecast and what their strategy might be.

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Briefing, 6pm Sat 17 Sept 2016: Storms on the horizon

GB2016 gladbeck 19The 6pm briefing on Saturday 17 2016, 30 hours before the 48 Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett pilots launch, was dominated by a weather briefing promising what can only be described as 'mixed' conditions across the Alps and south into the Mediterranean...

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It’s a Team Sport: What makes a Gordon Bennett Team?

GB2016 gladbeck 14There may only be two pilots in each basket at the 60th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett but it takes a whole team to get them into the air. We talked to Team Lithuania to find out who's behind the scenes and what they do...

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Brian Jones: ‘The adventure is intense’

GB2016 gladbeck 9Brian Jones is a legend in ballooning circles. Along with Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard the pair became the first balloonists to circumnavigate the world back in 1999.

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Eye in the Sky: Social media at the Gordon Bennett

GB2016 gladbeck 13Everyone seems to be filming, photographing or broadcasting on Facebook Live. The FAI Media Team explain where everything is being posted – and make a call for your aerial and competition files...

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Will Wood flies far, in memory of his dad

GB2016 gladbeck 12Two English pilots had a very British adventure on Friday, when they launched a 500m3 fiesta gas balloon from Gladbeck on a flight performed in memory of Chris Wood, a former Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett pilot.

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The Gordon Bennett: A young man’s game?

GB2016 gladbeck 7The youngest pilot in the Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett is Mateusz Rekas from Poland. At 25 he might be 45-years younger than the oldest pilot here, but he is definitely not inexperienced – this is his third time in the competition.

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Pilot portraits: All the pilots

GB2016 gladbeck 15FAI photographer Marcus King was on hand at the pilot briefing on Thursday to photograph all the pilots. Those photos are available to download in high resolution for everyone to use...

FAI photographer Marcus King was on hand at the pilot briefing on Thursday to photograph all the pilots. Those photos are available in high resolution on Flickr here.

Like all the photos on the FAI Flickr page, they are rights-free for editorial and personal use. Feel free to download them and to use them for air sports magazines, websites, and other press and media. No commercial use allowed. Where possible and appropriate, please credit: FAI / Marcus King.

Gordon Bennett opening ceremony: ‘I wish you all a safe and successful race’

GB openingGladbeck hosted a spectacular opening ceremony for the 60th Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett last night, Thursday 15 September 2016.
Music, light and energy echoed around the vast empty inner space of the unique Gasometer Oberhausen an old gas tower now used as a sophisticated and elegant exhibition and event venue.

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Weathercheck: Gordon Bennett delayed 48 hours

GB2016 gladbeck 6The launch of the balloons at the 60th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett has been postponed for 48 hours, from Friday night to Sunday night, to allow for bad weather to pass through.

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What’s so great about Gladbeck?

GB2016 gladbeck“Gladbeck is the best place for gas ballooning in Europe,” says Paul Spellward from team GBR-01 at the 60th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett Coupe in Gladbeck, Germany.

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