The PD Blog

Blue Shadows

Photographer Niklas Daniel captured this shot of 4-way Team Spaceland Blue during their last training camp in August, 2009. For more cool pictures or info about Blue, please visit their website at SpacelandBlue.com 

Belgian Canopy Piloting Nationals & Black mountain Swoop Open 2009

The last 2 day Skydive Flanders in Zwartberg has been host to swoopers from around the world.  Thirty canopy pilots came to try their best to become the winner here in Zwartberg and those from Belgium fought to be their countries national champion.   Apparently Zwartberg is Belgian for "Black mountain".  The area was named for the large mountains/piles that surround the city.  These hills were created from the coal mining days from the mining shafts dug in the surrounding areas.  OK, History lesson over, now the swooping.

The weather was perfect for the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  The race for the top was very close til the very end.  Pablo Hernandez(ESP), Mike Vogeleer(BEL), Michael Vaughn(AUS), Peter Kallehave(DEN), Grim Sweenen(BEL), and Albert Berchtold(USA) traded places within the top six from one round to the next.

After two days of heavy competition Michael Vogeleer stood atop a field of great competitors.  Pablo Hernandez from the PDFT came in second, and Albert Berchtold from the US rounded out the top three.

After the prize giving ceremony, many of the competitors took the opportunity to demo one of the Comp Velocities PD brought to the event.

Here's some photo's and we'll amend the post to add the scores once we get them.  Many of these competitors will be headed to Bussloo for the meet next weekend which will round out the 3rd meet in this Euro Tour.Download Black mountain 2009

PD Factory Team Wins Pink Open 2009- Klatovy, Czech Republic

After 2 long days of competition the Pink Open, Czech and Austrian Nationals are now finished.  The meet took all day Friday and most of Saturday to complete.  Fourty three competitors from around the world attended the event.  From the Slovakia, Czech Republic, Germany, Belgium, USA, Brazil, Switzerland, Ukraine, Spain, Australia, and Sweden.  The conditions were beautiful, most of the event was in a 0 to 3 meters per second wind.  The Speed event proved to be quite challenging this year.  A straight 25 meter long course was the set-up with the toughest challenge being that you had to drag the water through the whole course. 

After each round, the top placings were changing as some of the worlds best canopy pilots struggled to out do each other.  After 7 rounds, only 45 points seperated the top 8 competitors.    The final round of distance was done in reverse order of standings and was a spectacular sight.  With little to no wind, Jonathan from the PD Factory team inched ahead of Grim Swinnen from Belgium to take the Gold.  To wrap up the top three was Wuzi Wagner from Austria.   Here's a few pictures and the final results can be found here.  Congratulations to all the competitors. 

PD Demo Weekend @ ZHills

Performance Designs is setting up camp at Skydive City Z-hills this weekend.

We will have Demo Canopies available for everyone. Look For The PD tent this Saturday and Sunday (the 22nd and 23rd)

Saturday night John LeBLanc will be there to give his seminar on the The Two Paths of Canopy Progression. Come on out and join the fun.

Disclaimer: Nick who is pictured here will not be attending, sorry girls ;-)

PD Wins Big at World Games, Taiwan!

Most all of the various skydiving teams from around the world are home now from the World Games, in Taiwan. All went back to their individual countries with grand memories of an Olympic Style event.

Congratulations go out to all the participants, many of whom train as diligently as their Olympian counterparts.  Regardless of final standing professionally and enthusiastically represented their sport, their country, and themselves, in this grand event.

 

A special congratulation is due those PD Sponsored Teams and Athletes who did win a place on the podium.

 

Freefly

Babylon- France  Gold

Skywalkers- Norway  Silver

Canopy Piloting

Jay Moledski- Canada  Gold

Marat Leiras- Brazil  Bronze

Canopy Formation

Clean Air- USA  Gold

Ookoonono- Australia  Bronze

Formation Skydiving

Arizona Airspeed- US  Gold

Black cats- Russia  Silver

World Record @ Summerfest - Day 2

I have to be honest.....I was impressed this morning.  8:40 am and 5 Twin Otters took off from Skydive Chicago with 108 freefliers and 5 cameramen searching for a new World Record.  I never imagined that our wake up skydive for the day would result in 101 connecting.  It was looking good.

Jump two came and it only got better.  Having been dealt the hand that the skyvan was down for repairs we were launching the base out of the lead Otter and it was turning out just fine.  We worked out timing and put a super floater out of the lead plane to get more fliers in the air under the base.  It was a good idea, we built 106 out of 108.  This was the way to start a record!
 

Jump three came and we took a step back.  Three pods were having issues and the bench erupts (inside voices) with cheers ;)  One person was in the wrong slot and that threw off two pods but all in all the skydives have been very smooth and not a lot of big movements or waves.  With only a few minor collisions, more just bumps it's been kept pretty safe.

Jump four came and it was more of the same from jump three.  More new faces are rotated in and the bench is starting to bustle with activity.  Having a record of 108 people and at least another 40 that are sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for their chance.  It was getting a little tense but spirits were held high!

Jump five.....107 out of 108.  Soooooooooo close!  As they say....the worst part about being on a 108 way is watching a 107 way.....The team had the energy and the vibe was right, but you could see that the day was wearing on the group yet the organizers decided to go for one more jump before calling it a day.

Jump six.   I was sitting underneath 108 freefliers watching a pod with 3 or 4 out and I see super Pat from the far side of the formation start carving around 107 of his closest friends searching for his slot.  He reached the un-built pod and as he picked up his slot the true professionals that were waiting for him jumped into position and grabbed their grips out of the sky.  It didn't build for long.....but we did it!!!!!  A new 108 way World Freefly Record set!  The party is starting so I need to get off this computer and go enjoy the celebration!  Pictures will be posted soon and we're also putting together a very nicely edited DVD of the event from dirt dives to warm ups to the record shot by our friends over at GetHypoxic.  Please contact me through my website if you are interested.  I'll post a link to that later.  In the mean time, congrats everyone!!!!  Way to smash a record in 6 jumps!