Windy conditions cancel farewell mass ascension at Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Windy conditions delayed and then cancelled the closing mass ascension at the 51st annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Sunday was the final day of this year’s event and the mass ascension was scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. Organizers say balloon pilots were on standby for more than two hours due to brisk winds from the north before the event was cancelled. Launch directors say winds upwards of 10 mph can be dangerous for ballooning. The fiesta draws pilots and spectators from across the globe to New Mexico’s high desert and is one of the most photographed events in the world.