Nice job Konyukhov Fedor Filippovich. There's a lot of lonesome ocean (and some tough seas) along the route he took, which could have been lethal had the balloon run into problems. Glad for PPRuNe and Wingnut for this good news story. (Been a lot of bad news lately ...)

No mention that the balloon was made by Camerons of Bristol!

Yes, maybe that too
 

I am sure that is a factor, but they still need to cross the Andes and they're not small.
I suspect that it may have more to do with the number of borders to cross at those latitudes (whichever hemisphere) and more predictable winds and weather over the southern hemisphere ocean crossings as compared to a northern hemisphere transit.

Russian adventurer smashes daring world record in Bristol balloon.

https://s26.postimg.org/v96bntk5l/balloonfull.jpg

He mostly travel above waters. Similar circle at the upper part of the globe will be mostly above lands and I think winds are less favorable also.

This guy is worthy of a medal from from a notorious City Guild which has recently and inappropriately heaped so much adulation upon a very unworthy recipient.

He probably won't get that medal of course, but that's because there was no falsity in his aeronautical achievement.

Not lazy, just have their own agenda and this event was not part of it.
The media complain about censorship laws and keeping sources secret, but they practice the widest form of censorship in that if it doesn't fit their agenda, it does not get published.

That Can'T be true, Caz!

Say it ain't so!