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Skydive Spaceland News, Events, and Photos
- Texas Team Elite THIS WEEKEND!
- Harley's Angels Breast Cancer Awareness Casino Night
- 4-Way Scrambles / Safety Day March 13-14
- Third Annual Airborne Amputee Event: April 17
- Bigway Tuneup with Guy Wright: April 22-25
- 2009-10 National Collegiate Parachuting Championships Report
- Texas Skydiving League meet schedule
- Texas Team Elite Sequential Invitationals Feb. 5-7, May 15-16
- Tunnel Camp for Formation Skydivers, Feb. 26-28
- Gear Lockers
- Merry Ways (20-ways) Report
- 2009 USPA Nationals results/info
- Most Recent Accomplishments
- Amputees Skydive for Prosthetic Legislation at Skydive Spaceland
- Spaceland Anomaly freefly coaching available
- Archived news, events, and photos
Texas Team Elite THIS WEEKEND! Feb. 5-7
We're jumping starting Friday, so come on out and play! (And bring your hip waders, the weather's supposed to be nice but the landing area is SOAKED!)
There will be 15 Texas Team Elite jumps. Jump cost is $28 US per jump and is fully refundable. There is a non-refundable $75 registration fee for the event. Flightline will be two Twin Otters. Formations will be 40-60 ways depending on the jumper registrations. You will be notified of the formation size after you are Accepted and Invited to Participate. The event organizer is Jim Alkek and Guy Wright is the Head Captain in charge of the formations, slotting and debriefs. These will be challenging, fun sequential skydives for the more experienced big way jumper. Requirements are 500+ jumps (USPA D license or equivalent), and participation in at least one 40+way sequential event or attendance at a big way camp. This is not a camp! If you are interested in participating, please complete a Registration Request Form at http://www.bigways.com or http://www.texasstaterecord.com. Participants will be selected from jumpers who have indicated their interest to participate by completing a Registration Request Form. Upon email notice of Acceptance/Invitation to Participate, the event deposit of $75 will be due. Payment instructions will be included in the Acceptance/Invitation email. Payment of the deposit will be the only way to secure your slot.
Questions? Contact Jim Alkek at jimalkek@yahoo.com.
Harley's Angels Breast Cancer Awareness Casino Night
What's your perfect day? How about:
- Meet some tough, gorgeous, Harley-riding women
- Gamble on casino games
- Get a chance to win a brand-new Harley WideGlide with a tax-deductible charitable contribution ($16,000 value)
- Spend time with your friends at Skydive Spaceland
We've got your perfect day all set up for March 12!
Buy your raffle tickets today in manifest--only 500 available! (Or call us at 281-369-3337).
4-Way Scrambles / Safety Day March 13-14
This is going to be fun! We should be able to complete the event on Saturday.
(This event is open to all jumpers regardless of experience level or preferred discipline!) This means YOU!
What is a Scrambles event?
It's a laid back competition that is structured for individuals who sign up to be randomly placed on 4-person teams according to experience levels. Each member of the team will have different experience levels which will lead to a great learning environment for all members. Learn from some of the top 4-way competitors in a team oriented environment. The intermediate dive pool will be used and special care will be taken to make sure the teams are as even as possible. The meet will consist of 5 rounds and will be judged by USPA sanctioned judge, Tom Jenkins.
The jump price is $25 per jump.
This includes:
- Free 4-way coaching by seasoned 4-way competitors.
- Free video of each jump by an experienced cameraman.
- Free professional judging by a USPA sanctioned judge.
- Awards to the winners.
As an experienced jumper, what do you get for joining us at the Spaceland 4-Way Scrambles event?
- An opportunity to meet new people and make new friends.
- An opportunity to "Give Back" to the sport and to new jumpers.
- An opportunity to invite your family and friends to watch the event while you compete in a learning environment.
Your participation ensures the continued growth of our sport and helps cultivate a healthy group of new skydivers who may decide to form new teams for the season and represent our home DZ. Remember, you're going to need someone to tell all your "No s*$t, there I was" stories.
Participants must sign up for this event by doing one of the following:
- Sign up in person at Manifest.
- Call manifest at (281) 369-3337, or
- Contact Tom Jenkins tom_jenkins2004@yahoo.com
PLEASE NOTE: All participants must be signed up at manifest and at the DZ Saturday morning at 8AM on March 13, ready to jump.
SAFETY DAY Saturday Night
Safety Day was an idea proposed by Patti Chernis to USPA’s Board of Directors late in 1996 to get skydivers to set aside one day each year specifically to concentrate on making themselves and their drop zones safer. Safety Day should serve as more than a refresher of the basics. Skydiving is always changing, and new techniques, equipment, disciplines and training methods are always emerging. Regardless of whether you are a new student or a seasoned veteran, there’s always something new on the horizon. In some ways, each of us are students in the sport long after earning our A license. Safety Day should provide us with opportunities to learn something new, remember something we might have forgotten and stay up to speed with the basics.
SUNDAY
If the scrambles competition is complete, Sunday will allow us an opportunity to do some 8-way or larger formations with the group. We will form groups based on skill levels. Some groups will contiune to do 4 ways and others will advance to larger formations.
Third Annual Airborne Amputee Event: April 17
Last year's Airborne Amputee event was a big success, and we're looking forward to an even better time this year! We'll have live music, raffle prizes, a spaghetti-eating contest, activities for the kids, and more! This is a great event not only for the skydivers to enjoy the freedom of the sky, but also for the rest of us to show our support for those who have been wounded while protecting our country.
For more information and to sign up for the event, see www.airborneamputee.com.
Bigway Tuneup with Guy Wright: April 22-25
Skydive Spaceland will host a "Big Way Skills Tune-Up" event, April 22 -25, 2010. Dirt dives start at 8:00 am and finish at 5:00 pm each day. The tune-up is designed to allow the experienced player a chance to "knock the rust-off" and pick up some of the latest bigway tips. It will also be a refresher for the newer up and coming player that may be looking to attend future events in 2010.
This is not a basic bigway camp. In addition, players who may be interested in participating in the 2010 Texas Team Elite III invitational will be evaluated. Jumpers with exceptional performance during the Tune-Up may receive invitations to Texas Team Elite III, May 15-16 at Skydive Spaceland.
Qualifications for the Tune-Up are 300 jumps, and can dock successfully on at least a 16 way. You should have access to a weight belt and a slow and fast jumpsuit. (Weights are available to rent at the drop zone.) The Tune-Up will include formation loads of 20-40-ways. We will start with two groups of 20-ways on Thursday and Friday and do 10 jumps with 10 jumpers exiting each plane. Aircraft will be Otters. On Saturday, if necessary, we will do 5 jumps and build 30-ways with 15 jumpers exiting each plane and 10-ways ( 5 per plane) for those jumpers who need a little extra help to be big way successful. However, if all 40 jumpers are ready on Saturday, we will start the 40-ways. Sunday we will do 40-ways.
Formations and slot assignments will be repeated as necessary before making changes. There will also be an opportunity for 4 experienced big way jumpers to learn how to be plane captains. These jumpers will sit-in on captains debriefs, learn to work with the pilots, and captain an aircraft during a formation load.
If you want to develop skills as a captain, you will be required to be at Spaceland at 8:00 am on Wednesday, April 21st to attend the event and captains slotting meetings. Please send an email to me at JimAlkek@yahoo.com and let me know you want the captain's training. The four jumpers who are selected will be notified. The deposit and jump ticket costs are to be determined. We will move at a fast pace, have a lot of fun and hope to see you there. Blues, Guy Wright and Jim Alkek
Sign up at www.bigways.com
2009-10 National Collegiate Parachuting Championships Report
We hope the competitors had as much fun here at Collegiates as we did, and that everyone else had fun following along online! The weather certainly didn't help us out much, but as they say: Adapt and overcome! We certainly did, getting in all rounds of freefall skydiving events, three of four rounds of classic accuracy, and two of four rounds of sport accuracy despite 2.5 days of weather hold.
The competition held plenty of excitement, with some close races and very impressive dives! For a full report on the meet, please see our blog wrap-up, medalists, scores page, and videos!
Texas Skydiving League Schedule Posted
It's official, we have a TSL schedule! Hope you can join us for some competitive 4-way fun!
Texas Skydiving League 2010 Schedule |
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MEET |
LOCATION |
DATES |
EVENTS |
1 |
Skydive Spaceland |
March 27 |
4-Way |
2 |
TBD |
May 29 |
4-Way |
3 |
TBD |
July 24 |
4-Way |
4 |
Skydive Spaceland |
August 21-22 |
4-Way Championships |
To register for a TSL meet and see past scores, visit www.texasskydivingleague.org.
Texas Team Elite Sequential Invitationals Feb. 5-7, May 15-16
Feb. 5-7 Event: 2010 Winter Texas Team Elite
This event will be held on February 5 - 7, 2010 at Skydive Spaceland in Rosharon, TX USA. There will be 15 jumps. Jump cost is $28 US per jump and is fully refundable. There is a non-refundable $75 registration fee for the event. Flightline will be two Twin Otters. Formations will be 40-60 ways depending on the jumper registrations. You will be notified of the formation size after you are Accepted and Invited to Participate. The event organizer is Jim Alkek and Guy Wright is the Head Captain in charge of the formations, slotting and debriefs. These will be challenging, fun sequential skydives for the more experienced big way jumper. Requirements are 500+ jumps (USPA D license or equivalent), and participation in at least one 40+way sequential event or attendance at a big way camp. This is not a camp! If you are interested in participating, please complete a Registration Request Form at http://www.bigways.com or http://www.texasstaterecord.com. Participants will be selected from jumpers who have indicated their interest to participate by completing a Registration Request Form. Upon email notice of Acceptance/Invitation to Participate, the event deposit of $75 will be due. Payment instructions will be included in the Acceptance/Invitation email. Payment of the deposit will be the only way to secure your slot.
Questions? Contact Jim Alkek at jimalkek@yahoo.com.
May 15-16 Event: 2010 Spring Texas Team Elite Sequential Invitational
The 2010 Spring Texas Team Elite will be held on May 15 - 16, 2010 at Skydive Spaceland in Rosharon, TX USA. There will be 12 jumps from 17,500 ft with oxygen. Jump cost is $28 US per jump and is fully refundable. There is a non-refundable $60 registration fee for the event. Flightline will be two Twin Otters. Formations will be 40-ways. The event organizer is Jim Alkek and Guy Wright is the Head Captain in charge of the formations, slotting and debriefs. These will be challenging, fun sequential skydives for the more experienced big way jumper. Requirements are 500+ jumps (USPA D license or equivalent), and participation in at least one 40+way sequential event or attendance at a big way camp. This is not a camp! If you are interested in participating, please complete a Registration Request Form at http://www.bigways.com or http://www.texasstaterecord.com. Participants will be selected from jumpers who have indicated their interest to participate by completing a Registratio
n Request Form. Upon email notice of Acceptance/Invitation to Participate, the event deposit of $60 will be due. Payment instructions will be included in the Acceptance/Invitation email. Payment of the deposit will be the only way to secure your slot. If you have any questions, please contact Jim Alkek at jimalkek@yahoo.com .
If you have already submitted your application, there is no need to submit another one. The captains will be selecting jump participants from the applications submitted shortly. You will receive a notice upon a change in your application status.
Tunnel Camp for Formation Skydivers, Feb. 26-28
Update: This camp is now full but there will be another one along the same lines later in the year. Please email Tom Jenkins at tom_jenkins2004@yahoo.com for more information.
The Plan: Take a group of skydivers who want to improve their personal flying skills along with four or more experienced tunnel coaches to the Paraclete 16.5-foot wind tunnel in Raeford, N.C., for a 3-day, 12+-hour tunnel camp. (Note: We often include and coach non-jumpers as well.)
The Camp: Our camps follow a training syllabus that we have used very successsfully for eight years, and we will have a preplanned tunnel schedule to maximize our tunnel time and learning experience. These camps are designed to teach and to reinforce basic body flight skills. We work on the movement involved in the three axes of flight and the process to accomplish this movement. We stress working on communication, grip discipline, fall rate skills, and synchronicity of these movements. We work on the skills required for small formation skydiving as well as many of the techniques required for large formation skydiving as well.
The Coaches: Tom Jenkins, Brian Ball, Samer Haija, Jorge Alvarez, others if needed
The Cost: $1,800 ($1,650 if you have attended one of our camps in the past). Includes the following:
- Approximately 2+ hours of coached tunnel time.
- All coach fees.
- Computer debrief stations with video of all sessions.
- 3 nights hotel accommodations (double occupancy).
- Group ground transportation.
- Extra time is available at an added cost.
Deposit: $500 deposit is due ASAP. (Your slot is not confirmed until this deposit has been received.) Your deposit is NOT refundable unless the camp is cancelled or you can find someone to fill your slot. Slots for the camp are limited.
Payment: Final payment is due Feb. 15, 2010 (cash or check only). Send all payments to:
Tom Jenkins
2109 Sailwind Dr.
Pearland, TX 77584
Items to Bring:
- Hard helmet (full face recommended)
- Your regular RW jumpsuit and gloves
- Weights (if you wear 10 pounds, you'll need 15 in the tunnel)
- Knee pads (recommended)
You are responsible for your own airfare, so the group can travel together in North Carolina. Do not purchase airfare until Tom and the other coaches have; we'll book our lights when all deposits have been received. We'll book all hotel rooms and rental cars, and send you our travel itinerary and hotel information. If you have any questions, contact us at tom_jenkins2004@yahoo.com.
All lockers are due and payable now, and if you'd like one there are a few available for 2010. All that are not paid by Jan. 31 will be unlocked, cleaned out and rented to someone else. Contact manifest at 281-367-3337 to make a payment or locker reservation.
If you have been in skydiving for any period of time, you have likely participated in 4-way scrambles and speed star competitions for fun at your home drop zone. Skydivers in Texas participate in those events, as well an old event newly reborn in the Lone Star State. With the 2009 competition season complete, skydivers at Skydive Spaceland came together on November 7-8 to participate in a semiannual 20-way skydiving tradition at Spaceland known as the Merry Ways.
The TeXXas 20 ways were an annual competition in Texas going back to TBD that attracted skydivers from across the state. The event stopped for a period of years, but was reborn two years ago because of the effort of Spaceland skydivers Tom Jenkins and Mary Lee, thus the name Mary Ways (a name originally coined by Tom), or, as the event has grown, Merry Ways, because of the enjoyable, laidback atmosphere surrounding it. The Merry Ways were designed as a way of getting skydivers who are focused on their competitive teams during the competition season together on off weekends in a fun environment. The event is now less competitive and more focused on completing some very challenging 20-way sequential skydives. Also, the student program at Spaceland has recently produced many talented skydivers and teams over the last few years and the organizers see this event as a way to introduce those skydivers to the basic skills required in big ways.
The event drew 40 skydivers from across Texas and also different states to participate in the event, and the organizers Tom Jenkins and Rich Delgado led two groups to complete a total of 12 skydives on Saturday. The highlight of Saturday was a formation load from the Spaceland Otters against the backdrop of a beautiful Texas sunset. The skydivers on this jump completed a challenging 36-way opposed diamond that was skillfully organized by Tom Jenkins. Unfortunately, weather did not cooperate for a second day of fun; however, the participants are already talking about the next Merry Ways to be held next year. This was the second 20-way weekend held at Spaceland in 2009.
2009 USPA National Skydiving Championships
The 2009 USPA National Skydiving Championships was a BLAST!!! Thanks to all the competitors and visitors for coming, congratulations to all the medalists, and a big THANK YOU to all the staff, volunteers, and sponsors who helped make this event a success!
Things were pretty exciting around Skydive Spaceland over the last couple of weeks, with Nationals, Swoop Week, and multiple new national and world records set during competition. Read all about it in the Nationals Blog! And look for a wrap-up post there shortly.
More Nationals info:
- Competition Results/Team Rosters
- Commentary and photos in the Nationals Blog
- 4-way World Record Claimed by Spaceland Force (video on Facebook)
- 10-way Judges' Choice Award: The Golden Knights (video on Facebook)
STP Grads |
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| 9-3: Curt Collier | |
| 9-6: Saman Janati | |
| 9-19: Eva Hwa Hang | |
| 9-20: Greg Shaskan | |
| 10-1: Joshua Czech | |
| 10-2: Robert Rankin | |
| 10-15: Dan Murray | |
| 10-18: Dannielle Woosley | |
| 11-14: Antonio Arias | |
| 11-14: Brad Mc Vride | |
| 11-22: Neil Suddes | |
| 11-22: Anthony Rabia | |
| 11-22: Justin Shine | |
| 11-22: David Fenton | |
| 11-28: Mark Conley | |
| 12-5: Cass Miller | |
| 12-20: Jarod Barbee | |
| 12-27: Susan Brooks | |
| 12-27: Tony Davila | |
| 1-2-2010: Michael ODell | |
More Accomplishments |
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| Tuna | First Downplane |
| Hank Prewitt | First 8-way stack |
| Chris Benefield | First 8-way stack |
| Demo McDonnell | Coach Rating |
| Pete Ritzou | Coach Rating |
| Bart Stonestreet | Coach Rating |
Amputees Skydive for Prosthetic Legislation at Skydive Spaceland
Josh Wells lands with a big smile at Skydive Spaceland.
Wounded Warriors and other amputees jumped to provide hope for amputees worldwide
Many people make their first skydive to challenge themselves or seek thrills, but not so many jump to provide hope for others or raise awareness of life-changing legislation. Last weekend (Mar. 28-29) at Skydive Spaceland near Houston, Texas, the second annual Amputee Skydive (organized by Limbs of Love) did just that, bringing in nearly 50 amputees including 15 Wounded Warriors and several firemen to show everyone that there's still life, excitement, and fun after amputation.
They also jumped to raise awareness of the proposed Prosthetic Parity Act of 2008, which would require health insurance companies to provide coverage for prosthetics on par with that provided by Medicare. Many prosthetics cost $8,000-$80,000 according to Limbs of Love founder Joe Sansone, but health insurance plans may only cover a bare fraction of the cost, maxing out at $1,000.
The event kicked off with the arrival of the Wounded Warriors via bus and a police lights-and-sirens/Marine Corps Reserve Color Guard escort, followed by a motivational speech and flag jump by Golden Knight Dana Bowman, who lost both legs in a midair collision during a diamond track in 1994. A drawing for a flat-screen TV (conducted by two Houston Rockets Power Dancers) raised nearly $22,000 for Amputees in Action, a Houston, Texas-based support and social group.
The amputees' tandem skydives had to wait due to winds, but the weather cooperated beautifully on Sunday and everyone who stuck around was able to jump. They were joined in many cases by spouses who also made their first skydives, and many are hoping to come back for more.
"We'll be back after Jessica delivers our baby," said Josh Wells, an Army veteran who lost both legs above the knee to a roadside bomb in Baghdad two years ago. Jessica was there to support Josh, but opted not to skydive due to her pregnancy. "She's so jealous of me right now," he added with a smile after his skydive.
"This was so beyond what I could have ever imagined," said Heather Gardner, a therapist with Center for the Intrepid, which provides physical rehabilitation services for veterans who have suffered amputations or serious burns. "We were so prepared, we had great contact with The Amputee and Prosthetic Center who sent us videos of landings from the first time they worked with wounded warriors skydiving, so we knew what to expect. It was amazing from before we even got here, the convoy was amazing, and it was all so worth it. We couldn't have asked for a better staff.
"And I'm bringing my fiancé to jump here at Skydive Spaceland next week," she said with a grin.
More information:
- Photos (by Christy West and Eric Boyd)
- "Skydiving wounded veterans take leap for a cause": Houston Chronicle
- "Out On A Limb Over Rosharon, For A Good Cause": Houston Press
By Christy West
Spaceland Anomaly Freefly Coaching Available
Spaceland's own 3-time national champion freefly team, Spaceland Anomaly, is offering top-quality freefly training. Want to get some coaching with these gold medal and world record holders? Get a few coach jumps for $45 plus your slot. You pay your slot, you pay us, and we go. Contact trent@spacelandanomaly.com for more information or to schedule your jumps.
Archived News, Events, and Photos
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Questions or comments? Email eric@skydivespaceland.com.
