In a breath-taking conclusion to the 67th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett, Christian Wagner and Stefanie Liller of team Austria-2 (top picture) emerged victorious. The duo clinched the win after an exhilarating journey from Münster, Germany, covering an impressive distance of 2111.16 km aboard their gas balloon before touching down today in Sagres, at the southwestern tip of Portugal.

The 4th FAI World Paragliding Aerobatics Championships have come to an end in Oludeniz, Turkey. The event was organized on September 9-15, 2024, with the support of Babadağ Teleferik, Turkish National Aeroclub, the Ministry of Youth and Sport, the Governor of Muğla, and the District Governor of Fethiye. 

On the last day of the 25th FAI World Hot Air Balloon Championship, all eyes were on France's Clément Seigeot, who had been in the lead throughout the entire competition: Would he be able to hold on to secure his first World Championship?

Friday morning's tasks

On the final day of the competition, there was plenty more flying to be done. A three task flight was called for day five of the event and the fifth flight got the green flag.

Most balloonists say that morning flights are their absolute favourite. Rising with the sun offers unlimited possibilities. So here in Szeged, having the first morning flight four days into the air meant pilots had to wait for that special early morning feeling... And then they needed to wait longer still, as fog blanketed the region on Thursday morning at the 25th FAI World Hot Air Balloon Championship.

After their first flight on Tuesday evening, marked by unpredictable windshifts, pilots awoke on Wednesday morning hoping for a more stable situation and a substantial opportunity to pick up points for the 25th FAI World Hot Air Balloon Championship. Instead, they heard the patter of more rain as the three task flight was cancelled once again...

Szeged, Hungary.

Competitors at the 25th FAI World Hot Air Balloon Championship finally took to the air in the afternoon of September 10 after three cancelled flights due to wind, rain, low cloud ceilings or a combination of all three. With 118 competitors present, making sure the weather allows for a safe flight for all is paramount.

From 23-25 August, the 2024 Skydive World Cup Series made its 14th stop in Thalgau, Austria. In front of a crowd of enthusiastic spectators, athletes from around the globe showcased what it means to land precisely on a target from about a thousand metres above, with a landing zone barely larger than a ten-cent coin.

Once they have taken off, free-flight models with compass steering can no longer be controlled. They are launched from a slope and, after leaving the pilot's hands, are at the mercy of nature and the elements.

The qualification rounds have been concluded at the 2024 FAI F5J European Championships for Electric Powered Thermal Duration Gliders in Deva, Romania. Fifteen rounds in both the senior and junior classes were completed by the 79 competitors.

The top 14 pilots from the 63 seniors, and the top 6 from the 16 juniors are now battling through the final rounds to reach one of the prestigious spots on the podium.

Cheer on the Teams @ World HABC in Hungary via FAI Ballooning Links

By Debbie Spaeth (USA), Chair CIA Public & Media Relations SubComm

The 25th FAI World Hot Air Balloon Championship will be held in Szeged, Hungary from September 8th -14th, 2024. Be a part of the excitement via the FAI Ballooning (CIA) social media links to this gathering of the World’s Top Competitors.  

Visit the event website to learn more about Szeged and the Championship locale: