Top U.S. Skydivers Compete in Texas

October 16, 2009 — It brings new meaning to the word, “jump.” More than 500 of the country’s best skydivers are at Skydive Spaceland near Houston, Texas for the 2009 National Skydiving Championships, held through October 25. The United States Parachute Association competition started October 12, with skydivers representing nearly 60 teams pushing their aerial skills to the limit for a chance to win a gold, silver or bronze medal. They are competing in six skydiving disciplines: formation skydiving; artist events, which includes freeflying and freestyle; canopy piloting, which is also known as swooping; freefall style and accuracy landing; canopy formation; and vertical formation skydiving. The event is free and open to the public from sunrise to sunset each day. Sports fans can sit on bleachers to catch all the action happening high above the drop zone, as well as in the landing area where hundreds of skydivers will swoop swiftly along the ground. But the USPA says the best time for spectators to attend is Oct. 17-18 or Oct. 23-24. The latter weekend includes the parachute swooping finals, held at ground level in front of the crowd. Swooping is a sport where parachutists jump from an aircraft or launch themselves from a fixed object and fly high performance parachutes at speeds of more than 90 mph through courses set up over the ground, water or down a mountain. Can’t get to Texas to watch the competition? No problem. You can watch the competition live here. So far clouds and rain have delayed the competition repeatedly, but breaks in the weather have provided time for groups to compete. And the groups haven’t just competed; they’ve broken world records. The first records to fall — pun intended — happened on Tuesday when Spaceland Force scored 45 points and became the four-way world record holder. But Spaceland Blue, with 26 points, also broke the women’s national record, and SDC Furies XP set the new women’s four-way record with 23. Select winners will represent the United States at world skydiving championships next summer in Russia and Montenegro. Click here for results and here to read the daily blog.

More than 500 skydivers are participating in the U.S. Parachute Association National Skydiving Championships in Texas through October 25. Photo by Craig O’Brien, http://www.uspanationals.com A group of skydivers are silhouetted by a Texas sunset during the 2009 U.S. Parachute Association National Skydiving Championships. Photo by Craig O’Brien, http://www.uspanationals.com A group executes a jump at the 2009 National Skydiving Championships. Photo by Craig O’Brien, http://www.uspanationals.com

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