International gas balloon race passing through Latgale

An international gas balloon competition is currently underway, with 26 crews from 12 countries taking part this year. Latvia is represented by a single team, "Lat-1", with pilots Inga van Havere and Jason Fisher. The race began on August 28 and runs until September 5. Balloon flights through Latvian airspace have been coordinated with the Civil Aviation Agency.

How the race works

Crews launch from the German city of Gladbeck, aiming to travel as far as possible without landing along the way. Unlike hot-air balloons, gas balloons have no engine and do not use heated air — their movement depends entirely on wind, though pilots can change altitude to find more favorable air currents. To climb higher, ballast is dropped from the basket; to descend, some gas is released. The balloons used hold about 1,000 cubic meters of gas lighter than air, and flights can last several days.

Route crosses Latvia

Because the flight path cannot be precisely predicted, organizers currently estimate that up to six of the competing balloons could enter Latvian territory before September 15, though this number may change. Three teams have already reached Latvia, with several more approaching, as shown on an online tracking map. Several crews are expected to end their flights in Latgale, near Rēzekne. Entering the airspace of Russia and Belarus is prohibited for participants.

History of the competition

The gas balloon race has been held annually since 1906, when it first took place in Paris. It has been suspended twice — during World War I, and for over 40 years between 1939 and 1983. The event is named after American newspaper publisher and race founder James Gordon Bennett Jr. The winner is determined by the straight-line distance between the launch point and the balloon's landing site.