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AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL RECORDS
Following are the current Australian all-female records, set during the 2005 Skysisters Symposium. Congratulations to everyone - go the teamwork and dedication!

47-way FS

By Fiona McEachern & Julie Nichol

A new Australian record of 47 female skydivers all linked in formation was set in Toogoolawah on 21st April 2005.

Those interested in being part of the FS record started on the Saturday and did some very nice workup jumps with Lisa Perdichizzi and Fiona McEachern. Julie Nichol arrived to complete the load organisation and join the fun on Tuesday. Each day, more jumpers arrived. We began formatted loads, exiting out of two aircraft early in the week with jumps as small as 12-ways. Other groups exited behind and also formatted with half of each group out of each plane. This was invaluable in accustoming the jumpers as to just how close and exactly where they could expect the other aircraft to be, and to get the pilots used to our requirements. By the end of the week, we had to ask the pilots to create more separation as they were too close!!

On Wednesday night, all the load organisers put their heads together to assign slots and aircraft to individual jumpers and 3 hours later, emerged with a 47-way skydive, ready to be jumped. Julie provided the formation, based loosely on the 357-way world record and the Bali 100-way, with weedwackers attached to a 6-way base. We launched the base from the lead aircraft with a couple of floaters and the rest of the floaters were in the two chase aircraft. The first three attempts were close with the third attempt only having 3 people out. Minor adjustments were made to the line up, but none to personnel, and on the fourth attempt, at the end of the first day, we made the new record. A fantastic effort!

Unfortunately we didn’t get to make it a 50-way because clouds rolled in the next day and then the following day, a few of the women had to depart.

We were really impressed by everyone’s dedication, effort and skills. What a week!


Click here to download the A3 Poster of the Record as featured in the Australian SKYDIVER Magazine

Amelia Barrett - WA

Amy von Novak - USA

Angela Hiesler - QLD

Annika Cronert - QLD/SWEDEN

Caitlin Collin - VIC

Carley Young - VIC

Cassandra Dale - QLD

Cheri Bullen - QLD

Cheryl Robertson - WA

Chris Collins - NT

Cindi Hemmila - NSW

Clare Ringland - NSW

Debby Marshall - VIC

Deborah Sanderson - QLD

Dianne Campbell - QLD

Donna Turner - QLD/NZ

Elaine Cox - NSW

Elise Rogers - QLD

Elly Kirkman - NSW

Fiona McEachern - NSW

Heather Little - WA

Janine Hayes - VIC

Jodie Ball - WA

Julie Nichol - VIC

Karen McEvoy - QLD

Kate Wills - NZ

Katie Fluin - SA

Kim Hardwick - ACT

Kim Hedley - NT

Kim Williamson - VIC

Krishna Strickland - WA

Leigh Ainsworth - NZ

Lisa McDonald - SA

Lisa Perdichizzi - WA

Lynette Warn - NZ

Marlies Friese - QLD/NZ

Maybritt Prahl - NSW

Naomi Ross - SA

Peta Holmes - WA

Prue Beams - VIC/NZ

Sally Baker - VIC

Sonja Bruss - QLD/GERMANY

Susie McEvoy - QLD

Suzanne Bourke - QLD

Torill Andersen - WA/NORWAY

Tracey Sgroi - QLD

Yukari Hashimoto - JAPAN


Video and Photos by Archie Jamieson, Ready and Wayne McLachlan

Notables:

  • The last FS record was a 40-way, set in 1997. 10 of those record holders were on the new record.
  • Every State was represented except Tasmania.
  • 11 did not hold Australian citizenship, which is ok seeing as you can have 25% foreign participants.
  • Karen McEvoy came out of retirement at the start of the week to be part of the record.
  • One of the girls only had 112 jumps on the actual record jump and another did her starcrest 3 weeks before the beginning of the week and had 128 jumps.
  • 15 of the girls were over 40 and went on to do a 16-way POPS female record.

16-way FS - Female POPS

Cheryl Robertson - Aus
Christine Collins - Aus
Debby Marshall - Aus
Elaine Cox - Aus
Fiona McEachern - Aus
Ginger Kuhllman - USA
Heather Little - Aus
Janine Hayes - Aus
Jenny Neubauer - Aus
Julie Nichol - Aus
Karen McEvoy - Aus
Kim Hardwick - Aus
Kim Hedley - Aus
Lynette Warn - NZ
Maybritt Prahl - Aus
Suzanne Bourke - Aus


Video and Photos by Jeff “Ready” Lahey

6-way Vertical

Amy Chmelecki - USA
Deb McEvoy - Aus
Erica Tadokoro - Aus
Isobel Wheeler - Aus
Rebecca Scott - Aus
Shona Lloyd - Aus


Video and Photos by Ian Goebel

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AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION RECORDS

Style

Jonny Goss holds the current record in Freefall Style with a Style Set performed in just 7.7 seconds at the 1986/87 Australian National Championships.

Accuracy

Janine Hayes holds the current record in Individual Female Accuracy, with a total of 79cm over 9 rounds, set at the 2001 Australian National Championships held at Caloundra, QLD.

Women's 4-way Formation Skydiving

Australia's first all female 4-way team "Southern Aurora" turned 18 points in time at the 1998/99 Australian National Championships held at Corowa, NSW. Southern Aurora went on to compete for Australia at the 1999 World Championships, also held in Corowa.

Team Members: Fiona McEachern, Jo Boniface, Nicole Lemke, Karen Sitkowski and Monica Green on camera.

8-way Intermediate Formation Skydiving

The only girl on team "Nexgen" was Marese Wisemantel, who turned 13 points at the 2004 National Championships held in Corowa.

16-way Formation Skydiving

Aussie team "It'll Happen" did Australia proud when at the 1998 World Cup in Spain set a new World Record with 16 points in time. This World Record has since been broken, but still remains a National Record and probably will do for some time. Ladies on this record are Julie Nichol, Orla Bannan, Dee Bowring and Kim Harwick.

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AUSTRALIAN PERFORMANCE RECORDS

HALO - High Altitude Low Opening

On the 23rd of June 1998, Gail Mercer jumped from 28,000ft from a Cessna Caravan aircraft and opened at 4,000ft over Ramblers Drop Zone, Toogoolawah, QLD. She experienced a total of 2 minutes and 5 seconds in freefall.

Largest Freefall Formation - 81-way

On the 20th of October, 1999 at Corowa the current Australian big-way record was set. Females on the record: Angela Hiesler, Angie McDonald-Smith, Birgit Brakhahn, Cindi Hemmila, Cheryl Robertson, Elise Vale, Fiona McEachern, Janine Hayes, Lee Loncasty, Lisa Florian, Mai Fitzsimmons, Michelle Dods, Mildred Spinoza, Rosemary Clancy and Steph Bensley.

Largest Freefall Formation at Night - 24-way
At 20:40pm on the 10th of May, 1990 a 24-way freefall formation was completed in the dark over Manbulloo airstrip near Katharine, NT. Female participants: Monica Green and Sally Bushell.

Fastest 10-way Speed Star
On the 23rd of August, 1979 at Chaterouz, France, Aussie team "38 Squadron" built a 10-way Speed Star in just 5.89 seconds. Females on this record: Annie Swinbourne and Kathy Silvestri.

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NOTABLE AUSTRALIAN EVENTS

First Woman Baton Pass
On the 24th of March, 1962, Kathy Henderson and Ted Harrison passed a baton, over Pakenham Drop Zone, VIC.

POPS Record
The Parachutists Over Phorty Society (POPS) built a 32-way formation over Ramblers Drop Zone, Toogoolawah, QLD on the 19th of October, 2002 during the Equinox Boogie. Females on the record: Suzanne Bourke, Shirley Cowcher, Mai Fitzsimmons, Sue Shivers and Linda Webb.

The POPS actually went for a 47-way record at the 2006 Equinox Boogie, and actually built the formation, alas it was noted after the event that a wrong grip had been taken, so no cigar.

Youngest Female Skydiver
Carolyn Cox made her first jump at age 14 on the 16th of June, 1990. The jump was a tandem jump with Tandem Master Phil Hermitage and parents Jim and Faye Cox accompanied her in freefall.

Largest Balloon Exit
A 9-way exit from 3,700ft from a single hot air balloon was made on the 20th of January, 2000. The only female on the jump was Isabella Lechowitz.

25 jumps for 25th Birthday

Lisa Perdichizzi did 25 jumps on the 22nd of February, 2003 at York DZ, WA to celebrate her 25th birthday.

Largest Lingerie Load

On the 12th of May, 2002 at Nagambie DZ, VIC, 12 female skydivers attempted to create a record for the Largest Lingerie Load. This was attempted by only female skydivers, wearing only lingerie and rigs and was a Cancer Council fund raising event on Mothers Day. Twelve represents the likelihood of 1 in 12 women dying of breast cancer. The girls held a 12-way Star formation for .37 seconds.

Participants: Kath Hoffman, Theresa Malin, Kate Rose, Bec Kerr, Carley Young, Naomi Ross, Kristy Heron, Lisa Perdichizzi, Lisa Dell'Oro, Stacey Connell, Michaela Bell and Jude Freeman. There were 6 cameramen!

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WORLD RECORDS

Women's 4-way

British Women’s 4-way FS team AIRKIX set a new World Record sequence of 30 formations on one descent during the British Open Formation Skydiving Nationals in 2005 at Target Skysports, Hibaldstow.

Amanda Kemp - GB
Claire "Sparky" Scott - GB
Emma Hammersley - GB
Julia Foxwell - GB


Video and Photos by Andy Wright

Women's Largest Formation Skydive

A 151-way formation skydive was built in November 2005 in the United States. The Jump For The Cause record raised over a million dollars for Breast Cancer Research. 6 Aussie females were on the record: Ellen Coenra, Angela Hiesler, Lisa McDonald, Fiona McEachern, Julie Nichol and Cheryl Robertson.

Watch this space for more details.


Click here to Read the article printed in Issue 28 of the Australian SKYDIVER Magazine

Women's Vertical World Record

An 18-way was built in June 2005 at Skydive Chicago, USA, organised by Amy Chmelecki and Melissa Nelson. Australia's own Isobel Wheeler was on the record.


Click here to download her ASM article

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