Balloonists in Palm Springs Begin Race

With pilots predicting a long, slow run in near-nonexistent winds, the Gordon Bennet International Balloon Race lifted off Saturday night.

The first of six big helium bags rose from the ground at 10:48 p.m. in a start delayed by threatening thunderclouds, race spokeswoman Frances Byrne said.

“At first we had many, many clouds, and the pilots felt that by waiting an hour it would be much safer,” she said.

The clouds cleared to reveal a nearly full moon, but winds at ground level stayed at less than 10 m.p.h., she said. The pilots were hoping to rise quickly to 15,000 feet into stronger breezes to carry them northwest from Ruth Hardy Park, where thousands gathered to listen to music and watch the big balloons inflate.

Six Competitors

Six helium-filled balloons representing the United States, Japan and Switzerland will try to out-distance each other and capture the trophy for the 81st annual race, Byrne said.

Race officials decided to allow a night launch this year because the air is usually more stable and the aeronauts can conserve ballast and stay up longer.

Pilots carry only navigational and communication equipment, food and lights for night flying.

Four of the balloons represent the United States. Destiny will be piloted by Fred Krieg of Perris, Calif., and Ron Martin of Long Beach; Windsong by Gordon Boring of Michigan and Don Davis of Long Beach, and Cherokee by Jim Jones of Chandler, Ariz., and Dale Yost of Columbus, Ohio.

The U.S. Navy balloon will be piloted by Dwayne Powers, Milton Caves and Arthur Hickle, all of China Lake, Calif.

Set Distance Record

Another entrant, the Benihana, sponsored by Japan, set the Gordon Bennett record for distance in 1981. Taking off in Fountain Valley, the balloon floated 47 hours and crossed 1,348 miles before landing in Millarton, N.D. Its pilot, Ron Clark of Albuquerque, N.M., holds the world’s record for the longest balloon flight. Johnathan Eld of Far Hills, N.J., is his co-pilot.

Swiss pilots Gerald Signer and Werner Pfenninger will defend the title captured last year by Regula Hug-Messner of Switzerland and Paul Conrad, the Los Angeles Times political cartoonist.

The first Gordon Bennett International Balloon Race was held in 1906 when New York Herald Publisher James Gordon Bennett offered a prize to the balloon traveling farthest before setting down.