National Perspective October 2018 Premier Event

2pt 45way Australian Sequential Records x 3 

80 new Australian Record Holders!

 

Records must come easy

Actually, no! The success of the Aussie Bigways Team to pull this off yet again is truly amazing! Here is some insight into this sequential record journey.

Record Day

The Aussie Bigways community’s performance was outstanding for our last Premier Event in Australia prior to Perris 2019.

On record day, Wednesday 3rd October, the weather forecast was set to be perfect all day. We had 3 planes and 3 excellent formation pilots – John McEvoy, Liam and Paul Smith. The APF had released the Skydive Oz aircraft from the World Meet so we could attempt this 3 plane record for Australia. Oxygen had previously been used and tested in this Skydive Oz aircraft, a bonus. Dave and John McEvoy fitted the Skydive Rambler planes with oxygen and now we could jump with oxygen from 18000 feet. Ben Nordkamp facilitated the end user oxygen piping solution for all planes and now we were set for oxygen in 3 planes. Onsite Judges Cole Ruthenberg and Sandy Nieuwenhoven were in attendance with paperwork in hand. Peta Holmes, offsite judge was on standby. Brendan Saunders and his cooking crew fed everyone well for breakfast. Darren and Mum had provide strong coffees to get the team started. Darren Doyle the CI/DZSO was ready. Manifest and staff including Jenny, Sara, Karen, and Margaret had us on the loads and ready. All we needed now was the skill to build and capture the images of our formations. We were ready!

The first group completed a 2pt 45way formation on the very first attempt. This was THE FIRST 3 plane formation load at this event, and for many a moon in Australia in the RW community for that matter. Yet the team performed and secured the first sequential record on the first jump of the day. Unbelievable!

The second record group, consisting of 20 new participants swapping slots with the first group, then built what was the smoothest bigway formation for the entire event, holding the second point for what was possibly 8 seconds or more before track off.

The third record group attempt completed as well, after swapping 15 new participants – again a reminder here that this was the first 3 plane formation for 15 new to this record team. Everyone performed at a very high level on the day.

This was three 2pt 45way sequential records in three consecutive jumps!

Unfortunately, the fourth record attempt group did not complete their second formation but was it a failure? No!! The 1^st point was a completion and again for 9 new participants, this was their first 3 plane formation load of the event. If there was more light in the day, more time to give the fourth group an opportunity for a second jump, I have no doubt there would have been a fourth record that day! An outstanding job was done by all 89 jumpers who participated in the 4 record groups. THANK YOU!!!

Thank you to Steve Fitch, Paul Barker, Steve Dines and David Brown for their excellent camerawork on the record jumps and throughout the event.

Bigger Picture Perspective

What was the bigger picture here for the event performance? How did we achieve these fantastic results that most now expect and become complacent about when it comes to records and Aussie Bigways?

Here is some bigger picture perspective:

• To be accepted on this 7 day event, Currency was King. Participants were to arrive at the event current in jumping out of planes. Many worked hard during the winter months to get and remain current. This made a huge difference in our performance as a team. This allowed the team to move to jumping larger formations sooner than expected during the camp.
• Personal Flying Skills – many have invested in their skills by jumping and competing in 4way teams of varying levels, attending Nationals and IFLY Indoor Championships, undertaking the Supercharge program or coached in the tunnel by highly competent coaches in NSW, WA and QLD. The overall combined skill of the group was high, and this personal investment showed.
• Having the right gear – many have been at this for some time, know what to expect, and have come prepared with all the right tools to do the job required for most, if not all slots.

A very special ingredient to this event’s success is Larry Henderson!

I can’t thank this man enough for all the support he has given the Aussie Bigways community. Larry has been busy mentoring me and many others behind the scenes for some years now. I have personally jumped with Larry since 2007 and continue to learn and grow as a skydiver, coach, mentor and person in general thanks to Larry.

Larry has spent hours upon hours helping behind the scenes, suggesting pathways for us to take as a nation to prepare and build a strong team for Perris 2019. It was Larry’s suggestion to bring Dan BC to Australia in 2016 and Doug in 2017.  Larry had to move mountains to make our event at this time of year; he was mid term teaching at his school; coaching at the POPS record event in Perris a few days post our event; at USA nationals competing in Dallas Disturbance 16way team (silver medalists) just before our event; and I should also mention the very new arrival of Larry’s second grandchild, Finley! Congratulations to Larry, Pam, sister Maddy, mother Rachel and the family.

Thank you Larry! Your love and care for Australians in achieving their goals is enormous!

Larry’s Tips for Australia

Larry continues to provide helpful advice and I would like to share some information given prior to him leaving Australia.

Practice and Improve the following:

• Canopy control and landing patterns
• Tracking and Tracking Groups
• Physical Fitness including strength and flexibility exercises

All bigway camps to be performance-based groups so that jumpers learn and improve in an environment where they are challenged with their peers. If you are seen to be holding back a group on the day, you will be asked to step down and if there is a group for you to join that day, please continue jumping. This will be a good opportunity to follow up with your coach, who will be able to outline a pathway for you to learn and improve, for you to join the group next time!

Janine Hayes has written a more in depth article (yet to be released) that will give more insight into the challenges and success at this 7day Bigway Premier event at Skydive Ramblers.

I would like to thank the following sponsors of this event. This event would not have gone ahead without their support.

Australian Parachute Federation (APF), NSW Parachute Council, Sth QLD Parachute Council, WA Parachute Council, Nth Qld Parachute Council, VicTas Parachute Council, Toogoolawah Skydiving Club, Skydive Ramblers, Sunpath, Cypres, Cookie Helmets, iFLY Downunder, NZ Aerosports, P3 Skydiving, Intrudair, Mee Loft, Manufactory, Supercharge, Terminal Sports.

Tracey Basman – National Mentor and Events Coordinator