{"id":60558,"date":"2025-09-30T15:07:16","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T15:07:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/?p=60558"},"modified":"2025-09-30T16:12:29","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T16:12:29","slug":"momentum-half-half-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/momentum-half-half-event\/","title":{"rendered":"Momentum Half & Half Event"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What if a group skydive didn\u2019t end at breakoff? Momentum<\/strong> and Ascend<\/strong>‘s first Half & Half<\/strong> event at Skydive City<\/strong>, where angle flying met canopy flocking in a seamless, all-in-one complete skydive.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The Concept<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s been a shift in our sport toward enjoying full, connected skydives from exit to landing. We\u2019re learning how to make a jump last as a team, not just through the traditional sequence of freefall, breakoff, and set up to land or swoop. Instead, we are beginning to explore ways to build and fly together under canopy, extending teamwork all the way to landing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the forefront of this shift is team Momentum, led by Matt Leonard<\/a>. This past weekend at Skydive City in Zephyrhills, Florida, Momentum and Ascend hosted Half & Half, a concept event that merged angle flying with canopy builds and team landings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jake Carlton leading the first half of the skydive as an angle jump
Photo by Felicia Sturgeon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Structure and Flow<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The event grouped participants in a fresh, experimental way. Rather than strictly sorting by skillset or wingloading, participants are a bit of a mixed bag of flyers coming together to meet somewhere in the middle of canopy compatibility and freefall ability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first two days focused on foundation: one day dedicated entirely to canopy flocking and another to angle flying, giving participants time to refine breakoffs and adjust to some fundamentals of group flying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the final two days, we bumped the altitude to 15,000 feet. From 15k to 8k, groups focused on angle flying, deploying at 7k. From there, the jumps transformed into canopy builds. Depending on the coach, some groups flew dynamic lines, while others drilled static formations to strengthen fundamentals or prepare for team landings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Videographer “Buzz” captures a group led by Jesse “Tex” Leos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Experience<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Because groups weren\u2019t built around identical skillsets, participants rotated daily, flying with new teammates and coaches. This is also unique to events within our sport, which is a nice twist and builds an even tighter group feeling in the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every jump included a videographer giving each group the opportunity to have high quality outside footage. The camera talent included Felicia Sturgeon<\/a>, Javier \u201cBuzz\u201d Ortiz and Michael Klashna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Matt Leonard leading an angle
Photo by Javier “Buzz” Ortiz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Team Behind It<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Half & Half’s coaching team combined solid experience across both angle flying and canopy disciplines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n