Australian Sequential Records
32way – 2 Formation Points
On the 9th December 2016, Aussie Bigway Participants set the first official 2 point 32way Australian Sequential Records at Skydive Nagambie.
These sequential records were achieved during the Dan BC Bigway Camp & Sequential Record Event. There were 102 participants who attended in total with 5 cameramen; 146 plane loads jumped over the course of 7 days.
Visiting from Perris Valley, USA – Dan Bronsky Chenfield (BC) with assisting coaches Greg Jack, David Loncasty, Mark (Stretch) Szulmayer, Andrew Barker, Melissa Harvie & LJ Wobker provided quality coaching during the 4 day Bigway camp Sunday 4th Dec through to Wednesday 7th Dec, preparing the team for what was to come.
The Sequential Record Attempts were scheduled for Friday 9th Dec, with a new idea for Aussie Bigways. It was untried in Bigways, either in Australia or Internationally, and it was crazy but IT WORKED! The idea was concocted by the local coaches to filter through as many participants to achieve a new Australian Sequential Record of a 2 formation point 32way, all in one day. It was Dan BC’s design to create an ‘A team’. We had ONE chance to make a record jump that morning if the plan was to work – and the A Team complied with a new sequential record on that first jump.
Next – as Dan BC had designed, we would keep the A team base the same and most of the outside sequential move players, and switch out the middle zippers and stingers with new participants to allow more to achieve an Australian Sequential Record all on the same day.
Whilst the A team kept jumping, so too did the other 2 x 32 groups, however unfortunately a record was not achieved in these other groups. What these teams did provide was a training platform, slot specific jumping, for those who would join the A team in their next jump.
The A team kept jumping, continuing to switch out the zippers, stingers and some outside sequential players. The A team secured four consecutive Sequential Records using oxygen from 18000 feet, with plenty of time to ‘turn and burn’ more points. 74 participants achieved an Australian Sequential Record that day!
But it wasn’t about turning and burning sequential points. It was about Team Work! Whilst I’m sure there have been many Bigway sequential jumps in years gone by, did they comply to the recent FAI rules? Did 35% of the grips change? Did each sub group show separation? Did they then repeat the same jump, filtering through 74 people in the one day, achieving a 2 point 32 way four times in a row?! No – never been done before!
As Dan BC said, he has NEVER seen anything like this EVER in the world of Skydiving! Aussie Bigways has lead the way yet again!
We have left much on the table for future events. This was just a taster for what is yet to come from Aussie Bigways!
Cameramen of Sequential Records Jumps: Steve Tonson, Steve Fitch, Shaunn Segon
Event Organiser: Tracey Basman
Ground Crew: Scott Clark & Don Cross
Aussie Bigway State Mentors assisting with preparation and operations: Janine Hayes, Shirley Cowcher, Sandy Nieuwenhoven, Ben Nordkamp, Calder Chernoff
Formation Pilots: Paul Smith & Jock Folan
Media: Kelly Brennan & Christian Whyte
This event was proudly sponsored by the Australian Parachute Federation (APF), NSW Parachute Council, VicTas Parachute Council, SA Parachute Council, WA Parachute Council, Sth Qld Parachute Council, Cookie Helmets, iFLY Downunder, P3 Skydiving, Cypres, Sunpath, Manufactory, Terminal Sports, Square One, Performance Design, Para Gear and Skydive Nagambie
