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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Airship's Channel crossing fails | Airship's Channel crossing fails |
| (1 day later) | |
| A French amateur pilot's attempt to be the first to cross the channel on a pedal-propelled airship has failed. | A French amateur pilot's attempt to be the first to cross the channel on a pedal-propelled airship has failed. |
| Stephane Rousson, 39, from Nice, took off from Hythe on the Kent coast at about 0800 BST and was half-way to the French coast by 1300 BST. | Stephane Rousson, 39, from Nice, took off from Hythe on the Kent coast at about 0800 BST and was half-way to the French coast by 1300 BST. |
| But he was hampered by a change in the wind direction and called off the trip 11 miles from Wissant in France. | But he was hampered by a change in the wind direction and called off the trip 11 miles from Wissant in France. |
| Mr Rousson said: "I'm not disappointed. I feel happy because it had nothing to do with any technical failure." | Mr Rousson said: "I'm not disappointed. I feel happy because it had nothing to do with any technical failure." |
| During the challenge, Mr Rousson was suspended underneath the balloon envelope in a carbon fibre gondola, powering the two propellers with his feet using a bicycle-like contraption. | During the challenge, Mr Rousson was suspended underneath the balloon envelope in a carbon fibre gondola, powering the two propellers with his feet using a bicycle-like contraption. |
| To have set off is a victory in itself Spokeswoman for Mr Rousson | To have set off is a victory in itself Spokeswoman for Mr Rousson |
| He had been waiting for more than a week for winds of less than 5mph before he could set off. | He had been waiting for more than a week for winds of less than 5mph before he could set off. |
| Speaking from France, Rousson said: "We were about three-quarters of the way across but the wind was flowing in the wrong direction for me to make it across. | Speaking from France, Rousson said: "We were about three-quarters of the way across but the wind was flowing in the wrong direction for me to make it across. |
| "Unfortunately there was nothing to suggest from the weather forecasts that there was going to be this change in the direction of the wind." | "Unfortunately there was nothing to suggest from the weather forecasts that there was going to be this change in the direction of the wind." |
| A spokeswoman for Mr Rousson said: "To have set off is a victory in itself. He had to wait for just the right weather conditions but they came at the right time." | A spokeswoman for Mr Rousson said: "To have set off is a victory in itself. He had to wait for just the right weather conditions but they came at the right time." |
| Mr Rousson also failed to make the 34-mile (55km) journey in airship Zeppy in June, despite waiting two weeks for the ideal weather conditions. | Mr Rousson also failed to make the 34-mile (55km) journey in airship Zeppy in June, despite waiting two weeks for the ideal weather conditions. |
| The venture had been inspired by the Steven Spielberg film ET, he said. | The venture had been inspired by the Steven Spielberg film ET, he said. |
| "Ever since I was a kid I have dreamed of flying," he added. | "Ever since I was a kid I have dreamed of flying," he added. |