Spring Fling – Bigger is Better!

Marie Clark shares her experience at Spring Fling

What a week! In seven days, we covered just about everything. I left sore, exhausted, mentally overloaded—and smiling from ear to ear. It was a fantastic camp.

As with most week-long events, we had our share of battles with the weather and wind gods. But it takes more than that to dampen the spirits of the Dawgs. Thanks to the incredible leadership of organizers and coaches like Brian, Joseph, Chris, Travis, Yuliya, Eric, Kyle, Will, Scott, Symon, Eduardo, Andrew, and so many others, Spring Fling kicked off with 2-way and 4-way sequential workshops. Perfect for shaking off the seasonal rust and getting everyone docked, moving, and docking again. A little friendly competition always gets the blood pumping. Game on!

The big focus for many of us this year was dialing in the skills needed for big-way formations: holding echelon positions during builds, approaching expediently, docking cleanly, and minimizing energy transfer. These are the foundational skills the organizers helped us sharpen. As with all skydiving disciplines, no two formations are alike, so mastering your “toolbox” and making smooth, precise canopy inputs is key. And once you’re docked, the work continues—maintaining grips, fine-tuning body position, and flying the formation as a cohesive unit as layers build on around you.

Spring Fling is legendary in the CRW community for a reason. Every year, skydivers from around the world gather at Jump Florida in Lake Wales, bringing together a crew of seasoned pros and enthusiastic newcomers. As a newer CRW jumper, I was constantly surrounded by top-tier talent. Athletes who not only brought stability and skill to every jump, but also offered guidance, encouragement, and a genuine sense of camaraderie.

The event structure was phenomenal. There were opportunities for every skill level, with formation sizes scaling alongside each jumper’s progress. We built a 13-way ladies formation highlighting not only individual growth, but our shared goal of breaking the women’s CRW record in the future.

For nearly 100 attendees, the organizers somehow managed to track our goals and push each of us just the right amount every day. Behind the scenes, a rockstar ground crew kept it all moving—handling check-ins, manifesting, hydration (crucial!), gear logistics, and endless golf cart rides. None of it would have happened without them.

Personally, I was on my first 25-way, 36-way, and 49-way formations—all in the same week. Words cannot fully describe the moment you move in alongside a massive formation wall flying forward—dozens of parachutes, lines and bodies—just, WOW. Then the realization hits; time to dock. Fingers crossed…GO, you’re already late.

The CRW scene has big things ahead. This year, expect bigger, faster, more ambitious formations—and even better coverage. Keep your eyes on the sky and your favorite skydiving publications, because our incredible CRW camera flyers will be bringing jaw-dropping footage straight from their lenses to your screens.