The U.S. International Parachute Team Was Busy In Competitions Throughout The Month Of August

The United States Parachute Association (USPA) has posted partial results of international competition in which the United States team participated. If you think skydiving just amounts to jumping out of a plane and controlling your descent to the ground, you’ll see just how complex it can get when the competition begins.

The 2014 Fédération Aéronautique Internationale World Parachuting Championships of Formation Skydiving and Artistic Events wrapped up Saturday, August 30, after a dramatic week in Prostejov, Czech Republic. The U.S. Army Golden Knights reclaimed their world champion title in 8-way, but the U.S. had to settle for silver in 4-way, female 4-way and vertical formation skydiving.

For the first time in 4-way history, Belgium earned the gold in 4-way, taking the coveted Ottley Sword from the 2012 world champion U.S. team, Arizona Airspeed. Airspeed fought a tough battle but couldn’t catch the smooth Belgian team. Canada won the 4-way bronze, with the same Canadian team working double time competing—and medaling—in both 4-way FS and VFS.

The Golden Knights Female 4-way team also struggled, and after edging out the French in the first few rounds, fell behind mid-meet and couldn’t catch up. The U.S. settled for silver behind the French, and Great Britain took bronze.

The French team also earned gold in VFS, with the U.S. team, Arizona Arsenal, a strong second. The Canadians again earned the bronze.

In the artistic events, U.S. team Animare placed fifth in freestyle, and the U.S. freeflying team, Elsinore Ignite, finished in eighth. The French took the top two spots in freestyle, with Russia taking bronze. The Russians took gold in freeflying, with France winning silver and bronze.

Prior to the world event, the US team competed in In Banja Luka, Bosnia-Herzegovina on August 18-22. The U.S. Canopy Formation Team, Clean Air, scored bronze and silver medals in CF 2-way and 4-way sequential, respectively.

In the classic events, several male and female members of the U.S. Style and Accuracy Team placed in the top-10 of their events. In addition, the U.S. fielded two junior (age 24 and under) competitors for the first time: Ben Garlick, a 2013 United States Military Academy graduate on a midterm break from Army helicopter school, and Jarrett Martin, the first paraplegic to ever compete in an FAI World Parachuting Championships.

All in all, it was a busy month for the U.S. parachute teams and they can be proud of their achievements.

FMI: www.uspa.org