By 2008, the Balloon Fiesta had the Special Shape Rodeo (mornings) and Glowdeo essentially acquired the structure it has (evenings) on Thursday and Friday, Balloon Glows 2008today, with morning mass ascensions on the fi rst weekend and the second Saturday on weekend and Wednesday mornings, evenings. The America’s Challenge gas balloon race had established itself as an exciting contest with long, record setting fl ights always a possibility. Live tracking via the Balloon Fiesta website brought the America’s Challenge gas race fans right into people’s living rooms, so they could root on their favorite teams. Once again in 2008, the Balloon Fiesta hosted the world distance gas ballooning world championships - the Coupe Gordon Bennett. Britain’s David Hempleman-Adams and Jon Mason bested twelve other teams to take home the title. Four U.S. teams competed in that year’s America’s Challenge. Two major new services debuted in 2009: the Chasers’ Club and the Bike 2009Valet, which provides guests traveling to Balloon Fiesta Park by bike a safe and secure place to deposit their bikes while enjoying the Balloon Fiesta. (It helps alleviate traffi c and crowded parking lots, too.) The Balloon Fiesta continued to centralize services for guests, bringing group tour services in house, as it had Park and Ride and hotel bookings for pilots. Weather can always be a challenge for the Balloon Fiesta, and in 2009 it proved problematic for the America’s Challenge. The balloons were infl ated on the fi eld ready to take off when a low level jet stream brought high winds across the fi eld. After a two hour hold, the race was cancelled, since it was not safe to launch. OFFICIAL PROGRAM 207