Three Balloons Remain in Race

Only three of the six balloons entered in the 81st annual Gordon Bennett International Balloon Race remained aloft Sunday evening as they continued to battle uncooperative winds.

The three balloons still aloft, Windsong and Cherokee, representing the United States, and Benihana, representing Japan, were within 60 miles of their starting point in the race for distance that began here Saturday night.

Of the three downed balloons, the U.S. Navy’s entry was first to land about 6 a.m. on a golf course 14 miles east of here. Witnesses reported the second one, Destiny, from the U.S., down later near Borrego Springs about 42 miles out, race representative Frances Byrne said. And the Swiss-Los Angeles Times balloon touched down 45 miles out at Warner Springs.

“We’re not going to set any distance records this year, but this race may be our closest ever,” Byrne said. “This race may be determined by just a few miles.

“This year, the winds are less than 10 m.p.h.,” Byrne said. “We’ve never had such extremely calm wind conditions. It’s going to be a tactician’s strategy-type race rather than just who moves the fastest.”

The race--founded by the publisher of the now-defunct New York Herald newspaper in 1906--will be won by the balloon that lands farthest from the starting position.