The Long Jump

Traditionally, today is the deadline for entries, so scroll down a few pages for entry details .

Balloonists everywhere are thinking about Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer-Davis. They were one of 20 entrants in the Gordon Bennett Balloon Race who launched from Bristol at midnight on saturday and flew south across the Channel towards Brest.
Good weather blessed their route across France, out across the Bay of Biscay and east towards the Pyrenees.
By the end of sunday they had been flying nearly 40 hours and were faced with the decision whether or not to venture out over the Mediterranean Sea. After a night at -13°C it's easy to see why 14 balloons landed safely in daylight and enjoyed reunions with their gallant ground crews who had been following their pilots wondering where on earth they would end up.
The six leading balloons opened up a whole new chapter in this race as they carefully timed their approach to Italian airspace after sunrise to avoid disqualification. With judicious juggling of altitude they all succeeded with the leading Swiss balloon managing to clear it monday night and the other five hanging back until tuesday morning.
France 2 landed in Italy as Swiss 2 raced ahead to land on the beach of the Black sea in Romania 2434 km from Bristol.
The other four teams spent Tuesday night crossing the Adriatic and on into Montenegro, Serbia, Croatia and Serbia Herzegovina where GER 2 landed.
The weather was beginning to change and after GER 1 landed on the edge of the competition area in Romania, GBR 3 landed in Croatia.
USA 2 meanwhile was still over the Adriatic battling with thunderstorms. Their tracker shows variable heights and directions as they bravely fought the very weather that all balloonists fear.
After their tracker stopped transmitting and calls by vhf and phone were not answered a full scale search was started.
Balloon crews are beginning to arrive back in Bristol with wonderful stories of a classic Gordon Bennett Race - the first time it's been held in Britain since its inception in 1906 - but everybody's thoughts are with Richard and Carol.

American news report HERE.
A few of my pictures from the launch HERE.


                         Click on any image for larger size.

                                        Final positions....

Richard and Carol launching on saturday night.

GB race - day 1.

The weather Gods were kind and we sent the pilots up into a clear cold sky to the sound of their country's national anthem. Some pics  HERE. (More will follow once I've had some kip.)

Check our website 'teams' page HERE   and click on their own blogs for up to date pics and stories.
Video of Hempy's take off HERE.

 At 6am the balloons were well out to sea flying towards France.

Gordon Bennett Balloon Race

Here are trajectories for 2, 5 and 10 thousand feet from Bristol if they launch on saturday evening as planned.
My money's on Kiev.

Soon be October!

The Rules

LONG JUMP rules. ( Click here for 1984 original!)

1. Any pilot may enter with any balloon.
2. The winner is the pilot who flies the longest straight line distance within the British Isles during the month of October. ( For Long Jump purposes this region includes the British mainland, Ireland, and every island in British or Irish Waters.)
3. Intermediate landings are not permitted.
4. The judge’s decisions are final.
5. The entry fee is fifty pounds - cheques payable to The Great British Long Jump must reach the judge before 30 September - address below. (All the entry fees go towards administrative costs, the printing and binding of reports, commemorative mugs and prizes, as well as the cash prize to the winner.)
6. The competition starts just after midnight on the morning of October 1 and closes at dusk on 31 October.
7. Each entrant shall send a flight report to the judge before November 7. These reports will bound and distributed at the Survivors’ Lunch, ( and some of their contents may be used in AEROSTAT.) They should each accompany the completed pro-forma which solicits crucial information, with the actual reports being elaboration of each flights’ most memorable and believable happenings.
8. The winners of the Frog and the Flea, these trophies kindly donated by Cameron Balloons, will be announced at the Survivors’ Lunch to be held on Sunday 28 November 2010 probably at Booker airfield. All jumpers and crews are invited to attend. (Details nearer the time.)
9. Each entrant shall receive a commemorative mug, an ‘appropriate’ prize, a bound copy of the reports and the opportunity to applaud the winner as he/she receives the trophy for longest distance flown and a handsome cheque.
10. The Frog will be awarded to the outright winner who flew the longest distance. The Flea will be awarded to the pilot who either flew furthest in a small balloon (generally less than 100,000cu.ft) or who did exceedingly well in some other fashion and therefore merits second place on the winners’ podium.


Address to send £50 entry cheque…..

Robin Batchelor
The Great British Long Jump
The Old Candle Factory
THAME
Oxon
OX9 3BH.

Good luck to all!

Robin.