The competition for the Gordon Bennett Cup, the international long-distance balloon flying championship, is underway. The Polish team – Krzysztof Zapart and Adam Ginalski – has already covered 437 kilometres from the starting point and is at the head of the competition stakes.
Behind the crews taking part in the Gordon Bennett Cup competition, there are already over 33 hours of non-stop balloon flight.
Originally Krzysztof Zapart and Adam Ginalski had a plan to fly north. However, the Polish crew is currently over Germany, between Berlin and Hanover. Our representatives have an advantage over the crew from Austria, which has already landed near the border crossing in Dorohusk and covered over 400 km.
RMF FM journalist Michał Dobrołowicz asked the leader of the Polish crew, Krzysztof Zapart, what they do during such a long balloon flight.
We turn on the music and savour it. We generally listen to classical music, which calms us down,” Zapart told our reporter.
The Gordon Bennett Cup is considered in aviation circles as the most prestigious competition in the world. At the same time, this is the struggle with the longest tradition.
The first balloon launch from Paris took place in 1906. Poland has triumphed in this event six times. Four times before the war in 1933, 1934, 1935, 1938 and twice after the war – in 1983 and 2018.
Three years ago Mateusz Rękas and Jacek Bogdański won the competition, ensuring Poland the privilege to host it in 2020.