{"id":41570,"date":"2022-04-26T11:18:03","date_gmt":"2022-04-26T11:18:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/?p=41570"},"modified":"2022-04-26T11:26:30","modified_gmt":"2022-04-26T11:26:30","slug":"sos-sixties-oh-so-close","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/sos-sixties-oh-so-close\/","title":{"rendered":"SOS \u2013 Sixties Oh-So Close"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Photo by Craig O’Brien<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Skydive Perris was the scene April 7 when 110 spirited and highly experienced jumpers gathered to pursue a new large formation world record for jumpers sixty and over. The current SOS record is 75. The next four days would include the highs and lows that are common at any record event. With an age span of 60 to 78, most of the jumpers had been through the process of setting records many times.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Photo by Gustavo Cabana<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Strong Leadership<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The leadership team was strong and included two members of the International Skydiving Hall of Fame; Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld and Kate Cooper-Jensen. The leadership team was rounded out by Larry Henderson, Scott Latnis and Patrick Passe. The camera team included some of the best with Craig O\u2019Brien, Norman Kent, Gustavo Cabana and Luciano Bacqu\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The world class camera team \u2013 Craig, Norman, Gus, Lucho
Photo by Gustavo Cabana<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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No Messing \u2013 110 Jumpers in the Air<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Day one there was no jumping due to winds. Day two started with the entire team of 110 head up in five aircraft consisting of Skyvans and Twin Otters. Only the 40-way base was authorized to dock on the first jump. Others used the jump to see the picture and feel the fall rate. The second jump of the day (and the event) was the first effort to build the entire formation and set a record. It was stunningly close to complete. All team members joined the formation but a few only after a few others dropped grips. What a start!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Gustavo Cabana<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Oh So Close!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Weather dictated that only nine jumps, of which eight were record attempts, would take place during the four-day event. In a credit to the impressive talent of the team, three of the last four attempts were complete but for one different missing jumper. Unfortunately, none of the jumps resulted in all the jumpers being in a complete formation simultaneously. But four of the eight attempts were oh-so close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Gustavo Cabana<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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We\u2019ll be Back!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t be surprised if you see this team give it another try. They had way too much fun along the way\u2026 and left with some unfinished business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Luciano Bacqu\u00e9<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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SOS Team<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n