Albuquerque, NM – The first place for the longest distance record in the gas balloon race starting off from Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta won by the Swiss team. Nearly 60 hours aloft for 2,278 miles the Swiss team landed near the Newfoundland border in a remote area in Canada. The Swiss team of Nicolas Tieche and Laurent Sciboz broke the record that was set in 2000 with 1,998 miles by brothers David and Alan Levin.
The record flown in Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett championship in 2005 of 2,113 miles was also broken by the Swiss Team. Andy Cayton from the U.S. and Krzysztof Zapart from Poland took second place touching down along the Quebec Coast on Tuesday. Peter Cuneo and Barbara Fricke from the Albuquerque were champions last year landed in Vermont for third place. Eight gas balloons took off from the Balloon Fiesta Park Saturday evening. This is the 22nd America’s Challenge gas balloon race at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.