202 skydivers set world record in Southern California

Perris, October 1

More than 200 aerial daredevils plunged into the record books this week, linking up in a giant lattice-like configuration 2,130 metres above Southern California to shatter a world record for the largest sequential skydiving formation.

The group of 202 leaped on Tuesday afternoon at Skydive Perris, 130 km southeast of Los Angeles, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reported. The jump centre’s manager, Dan Brodksy-Chenfeld, told AP on Wednesday that more skydiving records could fall in the days ahead.

The same elite group of jumpers is poised to take to the air again this week in an effort to form three separate formations, he said.

The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, which keeps track of skydiving and other aviation-related records, had a judge on site to verify that Tuesday’s leap set a record.

It shattered the old one of 122. The group that took part was co-organised by Skydive Perris and included jumpers from the US, Russia, Brazil, Italy, France and Germany.

About 80 per cent of skydivers who show up for such record attempts are experts, said Patrick Passe, a Frenchman who helped organise the jump. The other 20 per cent need coaching, he said.