Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett - Fribourg (SUI) & World Paragliding Championships - Monte Avena (ITA)

Aviation sport: The FAI World Long Distance Gas Balloon Championship

61st Gordon Bennett Cup

September 2017, Freiburg/Fribourg (SUI)



Soundless floating, infinite views in all directions, and pure adventure: ballooning is an intriguing, very popular sport. Gas balloons are even more exciting than the better-known hot-air balloons, as they require a special kind of steering and lots of experience. While hot-air balloons can only stay up in the air for a few hours, the ride of a gas balloon can last for up to four days.

At the 61st edition of the Gordon Bennett Cup, 21 teams from all over the world battled for the prestigious win at the longest-existing competition in aviation. Only air-current and weather will decide where the pilots will land at the end of the race!

Air Sports: the world’s paragliding elite competes in the picturesque Dolomite Alps


FAI 15th Paragliding World Championship

July, 2017, Monte Avena/Venetia (ITA)



The first Italian edition of the Paragliding World Championships were already openend with a new record: 48 nations with about 150 athletes were involved: Such a massive participation has never had occurred in past editions. The event is structured in 11 flight tasks that were assigned on a daily basis for which the best closing time is only one aspect to climb the charts. The competition was held in 3 scoring categories: Nations, Women and Overall.

A 5000 square kilometres flying area and the stunning panoramas of Dolomiti Bellunesi served as backdrop. At the horizon the magic of Venice and its lagoon were visible. The core of the competitions of the 15th Paragliding World Championship were flight points of Monte Avena, of Predolomiti mountain chain and of Valbelluna, but some tasks saw athletes committed to battle in the skies of Friuli Venezia Giulia and Trentino, affecting the entire Venetian foothills from Caltrano (VI) to Aviano (PN) and part of the Trentino ridge from Valsugana up to Levico.