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Parachuting event about experience
Published October 23, 2009
ROSHARON — The large scar on Erika Dufort’s right hip is proof things don’t always go well, but that doesn’t stop her from hurtling at more than 60 mph toward the earth in search of a medal.
And the medal isn’t the real goal.
“That adrenaline rush is still important,” said the competitor in the U.S. Parachute Association National Championships at the 134-acre Skydive Spaceland in Rosharon.
“That’s what it’s all about — keeping it as safe as possible while getting that rush.”
A native of Canada who now lives near Iowa Colony, Dufort is one of about 550 participants taking part in the two-week national competition that ends Sunday. Divided into Advanced and Open classes, skydivers pit their skills in speed, distance and accuracy in the event, which is being held for the first time in Texas.
The top three participants in each category receive medals, and the top eight in the Open category advancing to world competition, said Ed Scott, executive director of the United States Parachute Association.
But the real prize is the dive, and the satisfaction of landing on a quarter-sized target or speeding toward the ground at 70 mph only to pull up shortly before hitting the ground. Medals are just reminders of the experience, New York parachutist Mike Shatalov said.
“This is the biggest event of the season. We’ve been practicing all year for this,” he said, smiling past dark sunglasses Wednesday as a stiff wind buffeted he and about 100 competitors waiting under a large white tent for the weather to calm.
The two-week event was delayed by rain and clouds last Monday and Tuesday, and again by rain and wind Wednesday and Thursday of this week.
Winds must be less than 15.5 mph and competition requires 4,000 feet of altitude between the ground and lower cloud layer, Scott said. Divers begin at 7 a.m., and as long as the weather holds, jumps continue through sunset.
The public is welcome to attend any or all of the event.
UNIQUE DROP ZONE
In distance jumps, divers stay in the air as long as possible. In the accuracy course, they land on a 12-foot-square pad equipped with an electronic sensor connected to a quarter-sized target, Scott said. The closer to the target, the better the score.
This week, divers were “swooping,” or falling as fast as possible toward goals in a pond at the skydive park, then deftly gliding through gates to a finish. The faster and more accurate the dive, the better the marks.
Skydive Spaceland’s 250- by 500-foot swoop pond is the largest such specifically designed pond in the world, Scott said. The park, opened in 2000, is a unique “drop zone,” or skydiving destination, he said.
“Only a handful of drop zones are capable of handling this competition,” Scott said. “It’s been pretty great so far. We’ve had some weather holds, but other than that, it’s been beautiful.”
The pond, wide-open acreage, sufficient hangar space and a good staff are what brought the nationals to Rosharon, Scott said. The designation helps solidify Skydive Spaceland’s reputation among enthusiasts, Manager Eric Boyd said.
“This is helping us achieve part of our business plan we wouldn’t have been able to achieve otherwise,” Boyd said. “We’re now up there with as one of the top skydiving facilities in the United States.”
Miami diver Chris Watkins said the event is “well-organized and put together well.”
While Rosharon is remote compared to Manhattan, that’s part of the game, said Adam Teeling of New York.
“We’re used to drop zones in the middle of nowhere,” he said with a laugh shared by about a half-dozen friends sitting in a circle, sharing stories and laughs while waiting for a chance to jump. “This is a nice facility. They’ve got a big fleet of aircraft, so you know they’ve put money into it.”
Parachutes for swooping, or speed are considerably smaller than normal parachutes, Shatalov said. Instead of the customary 2.8 square feet of parachute per pound of a jumper’s body weight, contest canopies are closer to 1.5 square feet per pound.
That makes them faster, more responsive and more dangerous, he said.
SCARS AND STORIES
While participants want to win, the sport is as much of a brotherhood as a competition, Shatalov said.
Most skydivers have scars and stories about a jump gone wrong, Dufort said. But the vast majority of dives end as planned, with the diver walking away with a smile and a rush, she said.
Art Shaffer of Florida compared skydiving to NASCAR, saying there’s a measure of showmanship involved, but that common sense and skill tell the final tale.
“Those drivers go toward that wall at 100 miles per hour,” Shaffer said. “You get there as fast as you can, but you don’t want to hit that wall. But we don’t have a roll cage.”
The danger is inherent and obvious, but not a main topic of conversation. Most accidents are “self-induced,” or occur when someone makes a mistake packing a parachute or during a dive, Shaffer said.
Most participants at the national competition have thousands of jumps under their belts, and the majority have scars and stories, Dufort said.
One of three women at the Rosharon event, Dufort was “terrified” on her first jump a few years ago and had that feeling again to open this year’s nationals. The feeling was not so much because of the danger, though, as from the thrill of competition.
The large scar on her right hip is a reminder of a broken pelvis suffered in an errant dive. And a reminder to respect gravity, the weather and what could happen without proper preparation.
“Now it’s just like any other day, and this is like any other performance athletics,” she said with a smile. “Overall, its about ability with an element of safety. It’s very, very challenging and it’s more dangerous if we don’t feel a little scared … if we’re not just a little afraid every time we jump.”
John Lowman covers Brazoria County for The Facts. Contact him a 979-849-8581.
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