Gordon Bennett balloon race competitors cross France

Twenty teams of gas balloonists, including the Wiltshire adventurer David Hempleman-Adams, are crossing France in the Gordon Bennett race.

The teams launched from East Compton, near Bristol, late on Saturday night. To win they must travel the furthest.

By 1600 BST Hempleman-Adams and his co-pilot Simon Carey had travelled more than 450km (280m).

Writing earlier on Sunday, Hempleman-Adams said it had got chilly in the night, but not as bad as in the Arctic.

Leading the pack near Bordeaux is the Japanese balloon piloted by Saburo Ichiyoshi and Akio Hachinohe, closely followed by the French and Swiss balloons.

The competitors from 10 countries are travelling in hydrogen-filled balloons and their progress can be followed online.

The balloons are controlled by releasing gas to go down and throwing out sand to go up.

Good spirits

It is the first time in its 104-year history that the Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett race has taken off from the UK.

Race director Clive Bailey said Hempleman-Adams sounded in good spirits and was in regular contact on the weather and the balloon's track.

Weather forecasts suggest the craft could be heading towards Italy, but crews are only allowed in Italian airspace during daylight hours.

The Duke of Edinburgh and Sir Richard Branson are patrons of the 54th Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett race.

Hempleman-Adams won the race in 2008 with co-pilot Jon Mason, giving them the honour of hosting it in their home country.

Mr Hempleman-Adams and Mr Mason were the first UK team to win, flying 1,098 miles (1,767km) from Albuquerque in New Mexico to Lake Michigan in just over three days.

via BBC News - Gordon Bennett balloon race competitors cross France.

France is currently in the lead. Japan and Finland have have touched down.

The winner of the Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett is the pilot who flies the furthest from the starting point, measured in a straight line around the earth's surface. However, there are only a limited number of countries over which competitors may fly. Flying over or landing in a country outside the competition area results in disqualification.

In 2009's race, three teams flew to the African continent, which was outside the competition area for that year's race. It took long negotiations and several months for the balloons to be returned to the teams.

Some countries are out of bounds because of diplomatic reasons. Others are out because the safety of the teams cannot be guaranteed. Some others are out of bounds to prevent the teams from taking great risks to fly to them.

2010's race competition area has almost been finalised, and is shown on the map. Countries in white (unshaded) are outside the competition area; coloured countries are inside the area. Competitors may cross over any body of water but must not fly over or land in countries outside of the area.