The Aeronauts Club of Monaco, the organisers of the pioneering Prince Albert II of Monaco Cup, a hot air balloon race across the Alps, has announced the postponement of the competition until next year. The reason: “unstable weather conditions caused by global warming”.
The disappointing news came via a press release issued by the Aeronauts Club of Monaco on Tuesday 21st May.
According to the communiqué, the Club had been trying to set a safe date since the start of the year, but was thwarted at every opportunity by the weather.
“Unfavourable weather conditions between 1st February and 30th April 2024 have forced us to cancel the Prince Albert II of Monaco Cup 2024, as the unstable weather conditions caused by global warming and the Principality’s particularly high urban density have prevented us from taking off in the optimum safety conditions required,” said Alain Cruteanschii, the highly-experienced president of the Aeronauts Club of Monaco.
See more: Introducing the Prince Albert II Cup, a pioneering new hot air balloon race across the Alps
The Aeronauts Club of Monaco, an association that focuses on pilot training and excursions, had been working on the launch of this unique sporting competition for several years. The concept is that 10 teams from six countries race ecological hot air balloons across the Southern Alps, taking off from a site close to the Principality and landing in Piedmont, Italy.
The environmental aspect comes in with the balloons’ design. They each feature a “double envelope”, a concept conceived by members of the Aeronauts Club under their Monaco Next Generation Project that reduces heat loss and saves up to 70% on fuel. Additionally, the baskets are made from lighter weight titanium and composites, which are significantly less heavy – by nearly 100kg – than the standard versions.
Fans and supporters will now have to wait until 2025 to catch a glimpse of these pioneering crafts in the skies above Monaco.
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Photo credit: Andrea Canova / Aeronauts Club of Monaco