{"id":16549,"date":"2014-05-05T23:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-05-05T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/skydivemag.com\/new\/?p=16549"},"modified":"2014-05-05T23:00:00","modified_gmt":"2014-05-05T23:00:00","slug":"2014-05-06-melissa-lowe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/2014-05-06-melissa-lowe\/","title":{"rendered":"Catching up with Melissa Lowe"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"This woman loves her sport!\" src=\"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/\/2f841029-665f-4ce6-bf60-e9f65031d1e1.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>Melissa Lowe is an AFF Instructor, Pro Rating, the co-creator of 4-way VFS, author of Sugar Alpha, and has 11 world records and a bunch of medals from USPA Nationals.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>World Records<\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>2003 \u201316-Way Women\u2019s Vertical World Record<\/li>\n<li>2004 \u2013 42-Way Vertical World Record<\/li>\n<li>2005 \u2013 18-Way Women\u2019s Vertical World Record<\/li>\n<li>2005 \u2013 151-Way JFTC Women\u2019s RW World Record<\/li>\n<li>2007 \u2013  20-Way Women\u2019s Vertical World Record<\/li>\n<li>2007 \u2013 69-Way Vertical World Record<\/li>\n<li>2009 \u2013 108-Way Vertical World Record<\/li>\n<li>2010 \u2013 41-Way Women\u2019s Vertical World Record<\/li>\n<li>2011 \u2013 9-Way Women\u2019s Wingsuit National Record (Unofficial World Record)<\/li>\n<li>2012 \u2013 138-Way Vertical World Record<\/li>\n<li>2013  \u2013  63-Way Women\u2019s Vertical World Record<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>National Championships<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>1999\u00a0\u2013 US Nationals Freestyle Champion: Gold<\/li>\n<li>2001\u00a0\u2013 US Nationals Freestyle: Gold<\/li>\n<li>2002 \u2013 US Nationals Freestyle: Bronze<\/li>\n<li>2003-2005 \u2013 US Nationals Freefly: First All Female, Open Freefly Team, Sugar Gliderz<\/li>\n<li>2010 \u2013 US Nationals 10-Way: Bronze<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Melissa Lowe \" src=\"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/\/433dfe4f-79d3-40a9-9817-c1a35aa54846.jpg\"><\/p>\n<h1>Number of jumps, what type<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>10,500+ Total<br \/>\n2000 AFF Instructor<br \/>\n850 Freestyle Training<br \/>\n1100 RW<br \/>\n6300 Freefly<br \/>\n100 Wingsuit<br \/>\n150 Misc (demos, swoop comps, etc.)<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>Time in sport<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>1982 first tandem<br \/>\n1994 first AFF<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>What equipment do you jump?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Sun Path Javelin Odyssey, Cypres 2, Tonfly suits &#x26; helmets, Larsen &#x26; Brusgaard visual\/audible altimeters, PD Velocity 75 &#x26; 79 and Spectre 120 and PD Optimum reserves<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>Favorite DZ, favorite tunnel and why?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>DZ: For vibe, professionalism and awesomeness, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.skydivecarolina.com\">Skydive Carolina<\/a><br \/>\nDZ: For facilities, planes and family (literally), <a href=\"http:\/\/www.skydivechicago.com\">Skydive Chicago<\/a><br \/>\nDZ: For upcoming greatness (\u2018cause my husband and I just took over management!), <a href=\"http:\/\/www.skydiveutah.com\">Skydive Utah<\/a><br \/>\nTunnel: for overall experience and professionalism, <a href=\"http:\/\/seattle.iflyworld.com\">iFly Seattle<\/a><br \/>\nTunnel: for overall coaching and availability, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.iflyutah.com\">iFly Utah<\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>You took some time off recently; what did you do with it?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>I took off full-time skydiving from 2007-2009 but still participated in world records, taught AFF part-time and participated in a couple of fun events I\u2019m not normally able to attend because of working in the sport full time. <\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>That first break was an awesome retreat I didn\u2019t know I needed. I was so burnt out. The break gave me fresh perspective and I came back in full force, fully refreshed and stoked about skydiving again!<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Last year was kind of an unexpected break from full-time, but again I still organized at several boogies and tunnel events throughout the year, got current BASE jumping, earned my Paragliding P2 license, taught AFF classes and did AFF jumps, as well as the Women\u2019s Vertical World Record 63-way. So this time I was able to focus on my husband\u2019s and my new business, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.overtheedgemoab.com\">Over the Edge Moab<\/a>, a BASE jumping pro shop in downtown Moab, as well as plan our wedding. <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Women's world record camp, Skydive Chicago\" src=\"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/\/d86a9377-0046-4fee-8d23-434af965b1f1.jpg\"><\/p>\n<h1>How was it writing a book that had been started by your father, Roger Nelson?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>My dad originally had a manuscript. However, by the time I got the manuscript it was a few years after my dad had passed away, and there were layers of virtual dust and a story long forgotten: most of which I did not know.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>My dad wasn\u2019t the greatest writer and he wrote the story as if people knew who he was. I had to work through a lot of emotions to start the research and dig through his piles of manuscripts, notes and memoirs to compile the story. I had to take apart his original manuscript, build the characters, the plot and put it all back together. <\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>All-in-all it took several people\u2019s support, the biggest being my husband, and 5 years to finish <a href=\"http:\/\/thelowes.tv\/?page_id=120\">Sugar Alpha<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>Has that given you a bug to write a book of your own?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve definitely thought about it. First, I\u2019m working on the sequel to Sugar Alpha and working on Sugar Alpha being made into a movie. <\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Where the sequel ends, I thought I might be fun to pick up and write the story of my brother and I \u2013 how we picked up the pieces after our dad\u2019s death and made our own successes, taking drastically different paths. <\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>Where are you living now and why?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>My husband [Ben Lowe] and I are living in Utah, near Salt Lake City. We\u2019ve been living in Utah for over a year now, and were offered a great opportunity, to manage <a href=\"http:\/\/www.skydiveutah.com\">Skydive Utah<\/a> and decided to give it a try. <\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>What are your aims with the dropzone?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>To put <a href=\"http:\/\/www.skydiveutah.com\">Skydive Utah<\/a> on the map!<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Melissa base jumping Perrine Bridge, 2013\" src=\"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/\/78af5202-4504-4f41-8775-516b95622b10.jpg\"><\/p>\n<h1>Will you teach BASE as well as skydiving?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Both. My husband teaches BASE courses currently and he\u2019s developed an intensive program to help new skydivers all the way to Base. <\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>Tell us about the educational website you and Ben are creating<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>We wanted to create an easy-to-use hub of skydiving information (not necessarily current event posting), to be a resource for people from newbies, novices, to instructors, to learning Base that might not otherwise get or find this information. We launched on 29 April 2014, see <a href=\"http:\/\/thelowes.tv\">The Lowes<\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>YouTube is not a training tool<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>Why do you write these articles?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>First, I love to write, I\u2019m very passionate about skydiving and I love teaching. <\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Since I\u2019ve traveled the world organizing at events as well as currently teaching AFF and my husband Ben being an examiner for Coach, Tandem and AFF, we realized that there are many uninformed jumpers with a lack of resources. This was frustrating because it showed a lack of instruction from instructors and a lot of people were learning by \u2018getting away\u2019 with doing dangerous things. <\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>So instead of bitching, I started blogging! \u2026Hoping to be a good resource of experience and information. <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Melissa and Ben over Mexico\" src=\"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/\/c98697a5-6f99-4f7b-bbfb-3e1d27ad9b7a.jpg\"><br \/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Young Melissa flying in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, c 1984\" src=\"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/\/b81ce6bf-fee8-4b59-9d7f-b58bc4d9e524.jpg\"><\/p>\n<h1>What resource are skydivers most in need of?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Caring mentors.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>What did you learn from growing up on a DZ?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>I feel the truest gift from my parents and being able to grow up on a DZ, was to embrace change, continue to learn, have fun and \u2013 even though skydiving can take so much away from you \u2013 it can give you back so much!<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>Now equipment and practices are so much safer, do you think complacency has become a problem?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve definitely seen a shift over the years, but I don\u2019t see complacency as the problem, I think it\u2019s the lack of continuing education and quality mentorship.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>What\u2019s the biggest single thing we could do to improve safety in the sport?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>To identify the root cause of what is causing fatalities and target the instructors\u2019 instructors to focus on safe skydiving. <\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>What sort of jumping do you most enjoy doing these days?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>I love anything to do with skydiving! Seriously! I love teaching AFF, freeflying, angled jumps, boogies, world records, wingsuiting, swooping, CRW (which I want to do more of) and yes, RW!! I just received my official invite for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.p3skydiving.com\/info_2014_10_WWR.php?event_id=2014_10_WWR\">Women\u2019s RW record<\/a>) this October!<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>Do you have a favorite skydiving moment?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve been lucky to have many! Every world record after the next is my favorite \u2013 not only to have a common goal and succeed, but the camaraderie and doing something no one in the world has ever done.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Every world record after the next is my favorite<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>My other favorite is a simple tracking jump I\u2019d done many years ago with just my dad and my brother. <\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>What\u2019s been your greatest achievement?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Appreciating what my family has given to the sport and now, what my family and I can give back. <\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>Describe yourself in 5 words or less<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Adventurous, inventive, detail-oriented, loving<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>Who are your mentors and why?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>In the beginning: Stefania Martinengo, Emanuelle Celicout and my dad [<a href=\"http:\/\/www.melissaairheart.com\/props-to-my-pops-roger-nelson\">Roger Nelson<\/a>]. Why? Because of Stefania and Emanuelle\u2019s hard work, grace in the sky and effortless freestyle.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>In the middle: my brother [Rook Nelson] and his then teammates, Jon DeVore and Mike Swanson\u2026 because they were being pioneers in freeflying, creating new moves and striving to become the best in the world.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Now: my husband and all my students the past few years\u2026 Because they help me see I still have so much to learn!<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>Do you have a motto, or favorite quote?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Be strong with your body and relaxed with your mind. <\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>What advice do you have for newcomers to the sport?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>First, Youtube is not a training tool. Second, it\u2019s easy to want to rush to be able to jump a camera, wingsuit, swoop or do the next cool thing, but the time you take on the ground and the quality of jumps will help you achieve your goals. Lastly, always keep learning.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h1>Anything you would like to add?<\/h1>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>My husband and I are available (online or in person) for mentorship from what do I do after AFF, to how do I become an instructor, to how do I get on the next world. <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/\/d0887f2b-ab17-4e6f-bcf5-5cbfa1d4395c.jpg\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Melissa Lowe is an AFF Instructor, Pro Rating, the co-creator of 4-way VFS, author of Sugar Alpha, and has 11 world records and a bunch of medals from USPA Nationals. World Records 2003 \u201316-Way Women\u2019s Vertical World Record 2004 \u2013 42-Way Vertical World Record 2005 \u2013 18-Way Women\u2019s Vertical World Record 2005 \u2013 151-Way JFTC [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"pmpro_default_level":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16549","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","pmpro-has-access"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Catching up with Melissa Lowe - Skydivemag<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/2014-05-06-melissa-lowe\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Catching up with Melissa Lowe\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Melissa Lowe is an AFF Instructor, Pro Rating, the co-creator of 4-way VFS, author of Sugar Alpha, and has 11 world records and a bunch of medals from USPA Nationals. 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