World championship of long-distance gas balloon flight

Gordon Bennett Cup 2025

September 5th-12th, 2025, Metz (FRA)

The Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett, the FAI long-distance world championship for gas balloon pilots, is the oldest and most prestigious event in aviation and the ultimate challenge for pilots. The goal is simple: to cover the greatest distance to the launch site without stopping.Benoit Havret, 2nd pilot of the team FRA 2 ,associated with Éric, recalled their victory in 2023 launching from Albuquerque ( New Mexico USA) and landing near Jacksonville (North Carolina, USA) after flying 2661.4 km in 85 hours 43. According to tradition, it was this victory that enabled France to organize this 68th edition. The Gordon Bennett has been held 67 times since 1906 and is considered one of the most traditional competitions in aviation. A central concern of the organizers is to involve the population. The fascination of aviation and ballooning should be spread to as many people as possible.

The international competition was initiated by James Gordon Bennett Jr. in 1906, when 16 gas balloons took off from the Jardin de Tuileries in Paris.