new records (Out&Return) for Delore-Fossett in Argentina

From Fossett's press agents....

Bye,

Aldo Cernezzi

Delore and Fossett Capture New Glider Distance World Record

2002.44 Kms Out and Return Distance Record - plus 2 other World
Records by pair - set benchmark as summer gliding season starts in
the Andes

17 November 2003 Esquel, Argentina - Brilliantly exploiting the
mountain wave in the lee of the Andes range, the team of Terry Delore
(NZL) and Steve Fossett (USA) this weekend (Fri 14 Nov) put up an
outstanding new glider world record for Out and Return Distance of
2002.44 Kilometers (pending FAI ratification), adding nearly 300 Kms
to the previous mark (1715.5 Km - Dec.2002) by German Klaus Ohlmann,
the world's most dominant distance glider pilot.

Delore and Fossett are among the world's top glider pilots gathered
for the Argentine summer season which runs through January - and have
laid down an impressive new benchmark.

Klaus Ohlmann also set out at daybreak on Friday, trying to improve
his old record to 2000 Km. He chose to fly south from the Argentine
resort town of San Martin de los Andes. The team of Delore and Fossett
opted to fly North from the Patagonian village of Esquel. Their
northern Out and Return route proved to be the better course that day,
with current record-holder Ohlmann unable to regain his start point,
landing for the night at Esquel. Thus, the German was on hand to
congratulate Delore and Fossett Saturday morning (see
www.fossettchallenge.com for photo). A third glider piloted by Dieter
Memmert also tried the southern route, but he too was unable to make
it back to his start point. Other top glider pilots for the 2003-4
Argentine season include Manfred Albrecht (GER) - already flying - and
Jean-Marie Clement (ITA) and Philippe Autheil (USA) - both expected to
arrive shortly.

In the Open Class of highest performance gliders there are only 17
recognized World Records - 6 for Distance, 9 for Speed, and 2 for
Altitude.

Delore and Fossett's big day in the sky captured a total of 3 world
records. In addition to the outright Out and Return distance mark,
they also established a new 'Out and Return Distance to a Pre-declared
Goal' Record at 1804.7 Km - plus a new Speed Record for 1500 Km (avg
speed of 156.61 Km/h), breaking previous records by Ohlmann of 1708.4
Km and 136.82 Km/h, respectively. Subject to ratification by the FAI
(Fédération Aéronautique Internationale), the team of Delore and
Fossett now hold 2 of the Distance Records and 4 of the Speed Records.
Terry Delore also holds a fifth Speed Record - 300 Km Triangle - set
before he teamed up with Steve Fossett one year ago.

Targeting to fly higher - as well as farther and faster - in gliders,
Fossett is also aiming for the daunting Glider World Altitude Record
(14,938 m - 49,009' set 17 years ago by American Bob Harris) having
made 4 unsuccessful attempts so far in the USA and New Zealand in 2002
and 2003 with co-pilot Einar Enevoldson (USA) in their 'Perlan
Project' research glider. Steve and the 'Perlan' team return to New
Zealand in June of 2004 for another try at this enduring record.

- - - ends - - -

All of Steve Fossett's adventure challenges are supported by Michelob
ULTRA, the new low-carbohydrate premium beer from Anheuser-Busch, the
world's largest brewer.

For more information and images see: www.fossettchallenge.com
or contact Project 100 Communications / Steve Fossett Challenges
tel: +44 1727 836238 / 844616 e-mail: