It is the century's last great aeronautical prize: Sailing around the world in a hot air balloon.

Last year, five teams tried and failed in their quest, and they were determined to try again this year.

Piccard: take-off in Switzerland this week

So far, three of them have already failed.

But one team is up and away. The Breitling Orbiter II took off at Chateaux d'Oex in Switzerland.

It is the team's second attempt this year. Early in January their capsule was damaged hours before the scheduled departure when bolts fastening it to a load frame broke as it was being lifted from a trailer.

"I know the feeling" - Bertrand Piccard expresses sympathy for Virgin's failure in January '97 (44")

The three-man team, led by the Swiss Bertrand Piccard, is hoping to beat the British millionaire Richard Branson.

Mr Branson's Virgin Global Challenger balloon is once again due to take off from Marrakesh in Morocco in the next few days, but his bid has not been trouble-free either.

Branson: Virgin's global challenger

The first attempt of this season failed when the Global Challenger's balloon broke lose at it was being inflated.

Then, over the weekend, Virgin's balloon engineer Alex Ritchie was seriously injured after a skydiving accident. Mr Branson is now selecting a substitute.

Mr Ritchie was hailed a hero last year when Challenger got into trouble and was rapidly losing height over the Atlas mountains -- he climbed out onto the capsule to jettison two fuel tanks to allow the balloon to climb and avoid crashing.

All those mishaps add to the time pressure. January is the best month for ballooning around the world. Wind conditions are favourable and all the teams want to hitch a lift from the Earth's powerful jet streams.

The Virgin team claims that a balloon can take just 18 days to sail round the globe. But the main question on everyone's lips - can it be done at all?

Steve Fossett, Jan. 6: "I'll wait and see how the others get on before trying again" (21")

Steve Fossett is wondering whether it is actually possible. He has come closer than anyone else to reach the round-the-world ballooning goal by setting records for time and distance in a balloon in January 1997, with a six-day, 10,000 mile (16,000 km) trip from St Louis to India.

Mr Fossett is taking a different approach than the other balloonists. He is flying alone using an unpressurised capsule.

But this year's attempt ended once again in failure, when his balloon Solo Spirit came down in a muddy field in Russia after flying for four days and eleven hours.

Mr Fossett has now decided to wait and see how the four other teams fair this year before attempting the gruelling journey once more.

Fossett: made it half way round the world last year

The two remaining American teams who launched this year did not even manage to leave the country.

The Global Hilton balloon was the first casualty of '98 - on January 9th, Dick Rutan and Dave Melton had to parachute to safety over Texas just one hour after taking off, because of a leak in the helium balloon supporting their hot air balloon.

And the dark horse of the race, Kevin Uliassi, who left Loves Park, Illinois, on New Year's Eve, was forced to land three hours later in Indiana because of an equipment problem.

If all five teams fail this season, then they will have to face yet another challenger next year. The Dymocks Flyer, piloted by American Bon Martin and Australian John Wallington, is due to launch in December 1998, and will be the first balloon to attempt to circle the globe at the edge of the Earth's atmosphere.

Back to top | BBC News Home | BBC Homepage	©