Sky-diving elite head to Park City for national event
Some say if man was intended to fly, he would have been born with wings.
Try telling that to the 20 professional skydivers who competed in the Red Bull Blade Raid competition this past weekend in Park City.
“To the athletes that compete in swoop events, Blade Raid is the Super Bowl. It is by far the most desired canopy competition of the year,” skydiver Jon DeVore said.
Of the top 100 skydivers in the world, only the most elite are invited to the competition. This is not your usual falling out of a plane.
Blade running, which has only been around for a couple of years, is the most challenging and cutting edge sport for skydivers. Competitors start by jumping from a helicopter more than 2000 feet above the mountain. Then the parachutists must follow the ski run down the mountain, going through gates at certain points without touching the ground and reaching speeds of 70 miles per hour.
This year the competition came to Utah, specifically the Slalom G Run used during the Olympics in Park City. Unfortunately, due to high winds, the divers were unable to jump from the helicopter.
On Friday the parachutists were able to ground launch, skiing down the mountain and trying to get enough air and speed to traverse the course. But the winds were too high on Saturday for even ground launching.
Hans Paulsen, of Flying Solo skydiving team, explained that in an earlier Blade Raid competition crosswinds had collapsed the parachutes. Although the skydivers were disappointed, the safety of the athletes is the No. 1 concern.
“Jon [DeVore] doesn’t want to put anybody up in dangerous conditions,” Paulsen said. “We’re here to have fun, not to get hurt.”
The athletes said they were disappointed because they come from all over the United States for the excitement of the competition and a $12,000 purse.
“[The Blade Raid] is unique for our sport,” said Jeff Provenzano, of Xaos skydiving team, has been skydiving for nine years and averages 175 jumps a month. “Most of the time we are all located at skydiving centers out in open valleys and little airports. It’s always flat. This is really different and unique for everybody here.”
Provenzano said jumping from a helicopter onto the mountain is different as well.
“You can ground launch any day; just grab your skis and go up a mountain that’s cool with it,” he said.
Paulsen said there is something about the rush skydiving gives thatgets a person hooked on the sport for life.
“I did it one time and fell in love,” he said.
-aedmunds@cc.usu.edu