In 1993, Albuquerque and the Balloon Fiesta hosted a world 1993championship event for the fi rst time in two decades. The Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett, the world’s oldest air race, is considered by many to be the world oldest air race, is considered by many to be the world championship championship for distance gas ballooning, for distance gas ballooning, in which the world’s leading pilots attempt to achieve the greatest distance from the launch point. David Levin and James Herschend’s 1992 Gordon Bennett win gave the U.S., for the fi rst time since 1933, the right to host this prestigious event. The Balloon Fiesta pulled out all the stops to make the Gordon Bennett special, including the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra’s playing each country’s national anthem as the teams launched. This was the fi rst of four Gordon Bennett races hosted by the Balloon Fiesta (the others were in 1999, 2005, and 2008), and it marked the permanent return of gas ballooning to the Balloon Fiesta. Also in 1993, the Balloon Fiesta added a fi fth Mass Ascension, on Wednesdays, to give Balloon Fiesta guests an additional opportunity to see this spectacular event. In the half-decade or so since the Balloon Glow and Special 1994Shape Rodeo had come to the Balloon Fiesta, these new events had become nearly as popular as the traditional morning mass ascensions and competitions – something that was not lost on the Balloon Fiesta board of directors and staff . In 1994, the Balloon Fiesta added a second “Night Magic” balloon glow on the last Saturday evening, and gave the special shape balloons their own Thursday morning mass ascension. Also back were the world’s top gas balloonists, this time to compete in the World Gas Balloon Championships. This is a diff erent event from the Gordon Bennett and requires balloonists to fl y to specifi c targets which may be hundreds of miles downrange. ® 158 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta