Australian Parachute Federation Records Register

This is how we believe the records stand as of January 2012. If anyone thinks these are not correct or incomplete please contact the APF Office.

Current Records

The APF maintains a register of parachuting records. Three major categories apply:

• Competition Records
• Performance Records
• Events occasionally occur which fall outside these categories. These are recorded as Notable Events.

The following is an extract of current APF records.

Contents 1 Competition Accuracy Landing (2cm Disc) Freefall Style Formation Skydiving Vertical Formation Skydiving Canopy Formation Canopy Piloting 2 Performance Records Accuracy Landing (2cm Disc)  High Altitude (delayed opening) Largest Freefall Formation Largest Freefall Formation (Women) Largest Freefall Formation (Night) Canopy Formation Largest Canopy Formation (Day) Largest Canopy Formation (Women) Largest Canopy Formation (Night)  Largest Formation - Head Down Orientation - Open Women's Largest Formation - Head Down Orientation  3 Notable Events 10 Way Speed Star Most Consecutive Dead Centres  Most jumps in 24 Hours  Night jump from a Balloon  FS Largest POPS (Parachutists over Phorty)  FS Women's Largest POPS    FS Largest SOS (Skydivers over Sixty) 1st Australian POPS 8 way claim Drop Zones in one day Oldest person in a 5 way formation  Oldest Skydiver Youngest Skydiver Youngest female skydiver First baton pass in Australia First woman baton pass in Australia Largest Balloon jump 18 jumps on 18th Birthday "Largest Lingerie Load" Wingsuit achievements and records

Competition

Accuracy Landing (2cm Disc)

Individual men - Tibor Glesk, 2010 Australian Nationals, 1 - 4 May 2010, Bullcock Beach, Caloundra, QLD, 12cm (10 rounds)

Individual women - Janine Hayes, 2008 Australian Nationals, 8-10 March 2008, Latrobe Valley Victoria, 40cm (10 rounds)

 

Freefall Style

Men - Tibor Glesk, Mar 1999 Australian Nationals, Cessnock NSW, 7.31 secs

Women - Jonny Goss, 1986/87 Australian Nationals, Toogoolawah QLD,7.70 secs

Formation Skydiving

FS 4 Way Open “Rotor Out” 2009 Australian Nationals, Picton, 27 points, Team members were, Steph Bensley, Gary Nemirovsky, Jens Gonnerman, Darren Pearson, alternate Michael Vaughan, Darren Griggs (v)

4 Way Women 21 points, Snatch Force, 18.03.08 2008 Australian Nationals, Picton NSW Team members were Caitlin Collin, Carley Young, Stephanie Bensley, Tanya Cale, Nigel Johnston (v)

FS 4 Way Intermediate “Intangible Force” 2010 Australian Nationals, Picton NSW, 17 points, Team members were Rebecca Bricknell, Heath Millard, Deb Hobbs, Travis Wood and Matt Luke (v)

NOTE: Previous record (20) retired due to 2008 Sporting Code Changes.

8 Way Open, “XLR8”, 1999 World Championship, Corowa, Australia, 20 points. Team members were Paul McMullan, Don Cross, Dom Padden, Jeremy Hunt, Jason Cooke, Michael Strickland, Dana Hort, Rob Thompson, Simon Chaberka (v)

8 Way Intermediate, “Stray Cats”, 2007 Nationals, Picton, NSW, 15 points. Team members were Dave Loncasty, Nicole Hannan, Naomi Scott, Glenn Hoyes, Glen Wilson, Tracey Basman, Andrew Gellatly, Darren Pearson, Scott Neander (vid)

16 Way “It’ll Happen”, 1998 World Cup, Ampuriabrava, Spain, 1 October 1998 16 points (World Record at the time). Team members were Tim Stevens, Grant Nichol, Julie Nichol, Orla Bannan, Dee Bowring, Gavin Dell’Oro, Stephen Hickson, Kim Hardwick, Scott Lee, Gregory Mackintosh, Alan Moss, Gavin Norsworthy, Richard Pym, David Redfern, John Stewart, Kevin Taylor, Terry Wafer (v) Coach: Pete Bambach

10 Way Speed Star “Yellow Peril” 1988 -89,Australian Nationals, Mangalore,Vic, 10.59 secs. Team members were Tim Stevens, David Graham, John Stewart, Ray Palmer, Dave Parsons, Tom Piras, Jon McWilliam, Maggie Willgoose, Anthony Patterson, Ken Hills

Vertical Formation Skydiving

VFS 4 way Open "The Addicted", 2011 Australian Nationals, Picton NSW, 12-21 March 2011. 9 points. Team members were Kim Hopwood, Tim Golsby-Smith, Catherine Comyns, Lucas Georgiou and Scott Hiscoe (v). 

VFS 4 Way Intermediate “The Addicted”, 2010 Australian Nationals, Picton NSW, 12 points. Team members were Kim Hopwood, Tim Golsby-Smith, James Hensman, Lucas Georgiou and Mark Gazley (v).

Top of Page

Canopy Formation

2 Way Sequential Australian Team “Ookoonono”, 2nd August, 2010. World Canopy Formation Parachuting Championships, Menzelinsk, Russia. 19 points, and subsequently 22 points in time. Team Members were Julia McConnel, Michael Vaughan, Craig Bennett (v)

4 Way Rotations "Crimson Mist" 22.09.04, 11th World Championships in Canopy Formation, Rijeka, Croatia, 17 points. Team members were Ralph Hamilton-Presgrave, Tom Begic, Cameron Cooper, Matt Berens, Mitch McMartin (v)

4 Way Sequential “El Borracho”, January 1998, Lower Light, SA, 5 points. Team members were Andrew Whitten, Tony Smith, Paul Cohen, David Salisbury, Brett Higgins (cam)

8 Way Speed Formation “Xtermin8”, June 1996, 6th World Championships, Indonesia, 42.61 seconds Team members were Greg Hays, Andrew Whitten, Paul Cohen, Tony Smith, Ben Nordkamp Jon McWilliam, Tom Begic, Steve Jones , Brett Higgins (v)

Canopy Piloting

Open Speed Record Michael Howell, World Cup Canopy Piloting, Carletonville, South Africa, 5th December, 2009. 2.373 seconds.  

Open Female Speed Record Karen Sheekey, 2nd World Parachuting Championship CP, South Africa, 17-23 November 2008, 2.729 seconds over a 70m course

Intermediate Speed Record Kip Frost 22.02.08, Australian Nationals, Picton, NSW, of 2.493 seconds over a 56 m course

Intermediate Female Speed Record Jules McConnel 23.02.07, Australian Nationals, Picton, NSW, of 3.506 seconds over a 56 m course

Open Distance Record Matthew Harris, Australian National Championships, Picton, NSW, 16-20 February 2011, distance of 150.89cm

Open Distance Record Andrew Lipinski, 2nd World Parachuting Championship CP, South Africa, 17-23 November 2008, distance of 143.91m

Open Female Distance Record Karen Sheekey, Australian National Championships, Picton, NSW. 19 February 2010, distance of 120.19m

Intermediate Distance Record John King, 2009 Australian Nationals, Picton, NSW, distance of 95.80m

Intermediate Female Distance Record Jules McConnel, 23.02.07 Australian Nationals, Picton, NSW of 64.23m

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Performance Records

Accuracy Landing (2cm Disc)

Andy Mulholland 3 dead centres followed by 3cm, 2009 Australian Nationals, 7-10 March 2009, Latrobe Valley Victoria

High Altitude (delayed opening)

Group men - 32,250 feet on 26/2/72, Pakenham, from a Piper Navajo. Graham Wain, Dennis Curran, Ojars Silins, William Kenny, Dave Millard.

Women - Gail Mercer 23/6/1998, Toogoolawah from Cessna Caravan VH – MMV exit at 28,000 feet, opening at 4,000’, freefall time 2:05..

Largest Freefall Formation

Click here for more information

112-way. 13/6/2010. Perris California, USA. 5.05am AEST. Aircraft – Multiple

Leigh Ainsworth, Jean Aitken, Rosa Alva, Nerissa Anderson, Michael Antoniussen, Ben Barclay, Andrew Barker, Tracey Basman, Dan Brodsky-Chenfield, Stuart Bean, Tomislav Begic, Hannah Betts, Bill Binder, Danielle Blunden, Yaakov Bokay, Bill Bor, Paul Borlase, Suzanne Bourke, Kelly Brennan, Rebecca Bircknell, Mark Brown, Tina Buckthorpe, Cheri Bullen, Dale Butterworth, Barry Calver, Tim Castle, Matt Chambers, Calder Chernoff, Scott Clark, Andrew Clarke, Ellen Coenra, Michael Collins, Melanie Conatser, Kate Cooper-Jensen, Shirley Cowcher, Leanne Critchley, Phil Crofskey, Jennifer Domenico, Tony Domenico, Mark Edwards, Glenn Farrell, Ryan Ferguson, Darren Forfar, Doug Forth, John Friswell, Ashley Geneve, Brett Gersekowski, Allan Gray, Greg Hamilton, Nicole Hannan, William Harris, Melissa Harvie, Yukari Hashimoto, Todd Hawkins, Larry Henderson, Deborah Hobbs, Steven Hord, Chris Howard, Gregory Jack, Chris Jones, Warwick Jones, Ove Jorgensen, Philipp Kemper, Martin Koenig, Kate Langley, Graham Lee, Heather Little, Adrian Lloyd, Marty Lloyd, David Loncasty, Matthew Longhurst, Helen Mahony, Tony Maurer, Phil McComb, Fiona McEachern, Gayle McLaren, Craig McNee, Jay McWilliam, Heath Millard, Andrew Mulholland, Terence Murphy, Ben Nordkamp, Luke Oliver, Mildred Onis, Shane Pieschel, Maybritt Prahl, Andrew Preston, Pam Riggs, Cheryl Robertson, Jamie Robertson, Craig Robinson, Kate Rogers, Chris Rose, Kate Rose, Jason Russell, Ryan Sanders, Michael Schenk, Leigh Shepherd, Gavin Smith, Mark Szulmayer, George Tang, Guy Taylor, Brad Trevena, Amy Von Novak, Bill Von Novak, Stephen Wade, Sean Walsh, Stuart Ware, Richard Wilkinson, John Winkler, Dale Wirtanen, Joseph Wood.

Camera - Norman Kent, Craig O'Brien, Craig Trimble

Largest Freefall Formation (Women)

Women's 47 Way, Rambler's Parachute Centre, Toogoolawah. Photo by Archie Jamieson.

1600 hours 21 April 2005

Camera: Archie Jamieson, Jeff Lahey & Wayne McLachlan.

Largest Freefall Formation (Night)

24 Way formation, Manbulloo airstrip near Katherine, NT 2040 hours on 10 May 1990

Lee Hunt, Max Wallace, Thomas Frey, Monica Green, Paul Osborne, Jeff Barbone, Duncan Brown, John Cook, Mark Kenning, Rick Weisse, Ray Perry, Steve Haines, Richard Drieu, Ed White, Peter Keegan, Sally Bushell, Peter Vaughan, Steve Whalan, Ralph Ford, John McMahon, Brad Turner, Mick Larkin, John James, Greg Wright. Aircraft was a Twin Otter , VH-KZP

Canopy Formation

Largest Canopy Formation (Day)

36 Way CF, Skydive Nagambie. Photo by Steve Fitchett.

36 Way, Skydive Nagambie, Nagambie, Vic, 7 March 2009

Paul Archibald, Trent Argus, Paul Baker, Kevin Balen, Hamish Barker, Peter Barnett (NZ), Dean Barrowcliffe (UK), Tomislav Begi , Craig Bennett, Matthew Berens, Jody Blunden, Daniel Brauman, Scott Brown, Graeme Bull (NZ), Dale Butterworth, David Carr, Cameron Cooper, Gary Cullen (NZ), Ben Dalglish, Danny Daniels, Glen Farrell, Christopher Gay (USA), Steven Geens (BE), Brett Higgins, Archibald Jamieson, Alex Kaiserman, Julia McConnel, Mitch McMartin, Robert McMillan, Brian Pangburn (USA), Ralph Hamilton-Presgrave, Andrew Preston, Shane Price, Jaak Saega, Philip Thamm , Michael Vaughan.

Camera: Steve Fitchett, Wayne Mclachlan, Pam Pangburn (USA)

Largest Canopy Formation (Women)

8 Way, Ramblers Parachute Centre, Toogoolawah, Qld, 28th April 2011. Aircraft: Cessna Caravan. Exit height: 14,000ft

Jules McConnel, Jill Grantham, Nerissa Anderson, Tracey Basman, Amy McDermott, Charlotte Van Den Berg, Kathryn Mettler, Wendy Smith.

Steve Fitchett and Norman Kent on camera.

Largest Canopy Formation (Night)

13 Way, Cairns Airport, Cairns, QLD, 1950 hours on 8 September 1984.

Nick Hagarty, Lindy Corbould, Rod Whyte, Cecil Bartholomew, Mirko Beric, Stewart McPherson, George Simmons, Stan Newsome, Kevin Cowie, John Gurn, Steven Pashley, Greg Ernst, Rod Ernst.

Largest Formation - Head Down Orientation

25 way head-down record. Photo by Sara Curtis

Sonnica Van Zijl, Brian Dore, Isobel Dore, Scott Hiscoe, Peter Wilson, Cath Comyns, Tim Golsby-Smith, Steve Curtis, James Hensman, Mark Gazley, Brad Pokroy, Erica Tadokoro, Adam Long, Chris Cosgrove, Dylan Tempest, Kim Hopwood, Stewart Kemp, Remi Guillemette, Brett Sheridan, Roger Mulckey, Lucas Georgiou, Shea Convrey, Ryan Mair, Brad Geyson, James Evered, Sara Curtis (v) and Adrian Lloyd (v). 

Largest Formation - Head Down Orientation - (Pending official Ratification)

33 Way, Sydney Skydiving Centre, Picton, NSW 12.04pm EDST 29 Dec, 2011. Exit height 18,000ft
Mickey NUTTALL, Kieren JAMES, Mark GAZLEY, Kim HOPWOOD, Robert DELANEY, Clayton WERNER, James EVERED, Leigh McCORMACK, Jonathan DE WET, William BLACKIE, Stewart KEMP, Blake HOOPER, Michael ROGERS, Jenny GORDON, Ryan DUDDERIDGE, Dylan TEMPEST, Tyler BAIRD,Shea CONVERY, Mason CORBY, Adam LONG, Jessie TEMPEST, Richard CONVERY, Kyle CHICK, Brad POKROY, Andrew BAIN, Catherine COMYNS,

33 way Head-Down Record Photo by Will J Pesek

Scott HISCOE, Tim GOLSBY-SMITH, Lucas GEORGIOU, Sonnica VAN ZIJL, Brett SHERIDAN, Oliver OLDHAM, Wayne JONES.
Will Pesek (v)  (Click Here for Record details)

Women's Largest Formation - Head Down Orientation

6 Way, Rambler's Parachute Centre, Toogoolawah, 1400 hours on 21 April 2005

Amy Chmelecki, Shona Lloyd, Deb McEvoy, Rebecca Scott, Erica Tadokoro, Isobel Wheeler. Camera: Ian Goebel

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Notable Events

10 Way Speed Star

“38 SQUADRON” 23 August 1979, Chateroux, France, 5.89 secs. This was done by the Australian 8 way FS team during practice jumps prior to commencement of the World Championships. They asked if they could be judged with the aim of setting a new 10 way record. It was a linked exit opened into a star. Team members were Ian Swinbourne, Annie Swinbourne, Greg Graham, Peter Eadie, Kathy Silvestri, Rod Whyte, Ross Loughton, Paddy McHugh, Doug Knowles and Alan Stephens

 

Most Consecutive Dead Centres

Laurence (Truck) Sams hit 18 consecutive Dead Centres in the Accuracy Event held at the 1981 Australian National Championships.

 

Most jumps in 24 hours

On the 13th January 2012, Julie McConnel and Michael Vaughan made 150 skydives each at Skydive Oz's Moruya NSW DZ, starting at 5.20am and clocking off at 4.28pm. The achievement was made with the support of 40 volunteers, including 10 packers and three aircraft (Cessna 180. 185 and 182)

Packing unassisted Tim Stevens made 100 jumps at Bairnsdale airfield commencing at 12:07 pm on 6 February 1993. The jumps and packing were completed in 22 hours and 34 minutes. Tim personally packed the parachute for each jump. Six sets of gear were used by Tim.
Steve Boekel jumped with Tim Stevens, also completing 100 jumps within 24 hours. Steve had people packing parachutes for him.
The aircraft used was Cessna 182 VH-CKZ.

Night jump from a balloon

Ron Llewellyn on 20 December 1989 jumped from 4100 ft at 03.46 hours at Bex Hill near Lismore, NSW

 

FS Largest POPS (Parachutists over Phorty)

Rambler's Parachute Centre, Toogoolawah, Exit altitude 14,000'. 19 October 2002, 32 Way. Participants were Ken Higgins, Wayne McLachlan, Suzanne Bourke, Dixie Lee, Pete Bambach, Paul Flipo, Brian Dunstan, Shirley Cowcher, Michael Cona, Mai Fitzimmons, Peter Bellamy, Andrew Snow, Larry Gane, Frank Marczan, Paul Burgess, Ben Nordkamp, John McMahon, Sue Shivers, Ian Robertson, Bruce Towers, Linda Webb, Tim Joyce, John Leach, Jack O’Donnell, Alan White, Dave McEvoy, John Blain, Geoff Bingham, Andy Clarke, Andrew Preston, John Bennett, Marty Lloyd. Camera: Luke Oliver & Archie Jamieson

FS Women's Largest POPS 

Rambler’s Parachute Centre, Toogoolawah Qld, April 2007, 17 Way. Participants included: Maybritt Prahl, Heather Little, Lesley Gale, Lea Critchley, Suzanne Bourke, Kim Hedley, Santy Brewer, Susan Bostock, Michelle Dodds, Janine Whitten, Karen McEvoy, Elise Vale, Camera: ?

FS Largest SOS (Skydivers over Sixty)

Rambler’s Parachute Centre, Toogoolawah Qld, 03.05.08, 14 Way. Participants were Alan White, Peter Hannaford, Ian Robertson, Marty Pandelus, Steve Pandelus, Gordon Turner, Elvon King, Norm Hocking, Dav3e Ruckert, Roger Clifton, Lynn O'Donnell, Alicia Moorehead, Pat Moorehead, Dick Rapacilo, Wayne McLachlan on camera.

1st Australian POPS 8 way claim

Tyagarah, NSW, Exit altitude 10,000'. 31 December 1989, 6.30 pm,

Bill Host, Dave Nesbitt, Ray Logue, Ian McGregor, Mike Liggins, Gene Bermingham, Occa Stevenson, Dave Hobbs.

Drop Zones in one day

On 13 January 1990, a Cessna 182 with 5 jumpers on board jumped at 8 Student training Drop Zones in one day. The jumpers were:-

George Creecy, Paul Thomson, Bjorn Hugaas, Neil Cheney, Sean Lehane.

Drop Zones jumped at were:-

Corowa, Burrumbuttock, Benambra, Bairnsdale, Pakenham, Meredith, Puckapunyal, Violet Town

Oldest person in a 5 way formation

Henk Rutgers has claimed a record of being the oldest skydiver in a 5 way formation on 21 April 1990

He was 73. Other participants were:- Steve Whalan, Phil Onis, Grahame Hill, Nick Hagarty, Peter Brierley (camera)

Oldest Skydiver

Oldest Skydiver Frank Moody, aged 101, made a tandem jump at Skydive Cairns in June 2004. The Tandem Master was Karl Eitrich and the event was filmed by Wayne Donovan & Jason Cryan.

Youngest skydiver

Finn Goennemann (D.O.B. 13/01/2003) made his first tandem jump on the 14/06/2010 to celebrate his 7th birthday. The jump was made at Picton DZ, NSW through APF club, Sydney Skydivers. Tandem Master was Finn's father, Jens . Approval was given for this jump under the powers of APF Operational Regulation 8.7.1 and CASA instrument 380/08.

Photo by Jim Smith

 

 

 

Youngest female skydiver

 

First baton pass in Australia

April 1961 between Andy Keech and Laurie Trotter, over Deniliquin in NSW.

First female baton pass in Australia

24th March 1962 between Kathy Henderson and Ted Harrison, over Pakenham, Victoria.

Largest Balloon jump

22 way simultaneous exit from a single hot air balloon was made on Thursday the 07\01\2010. They climbed to 10,500 feet and lowered the balloon at fast rate to 7100 feet where the 22 jumpers exited at the same time.

The team from Melbourne Skydive Centre and Go Wild Ballooning: Paul Murphy, Dan Barker, Kerry Lewis, Stephanie Chin, Gints Leja, Chris Barnett, Ben Lappin, Alex Mitrjaikin, Mcmahon Will, Tania Cale, Jill Grantham, Steve Baich, Rima El-masri, Brad Patfield, Mark Fraser, Sam Parker, Matthew Cleave, Sven Peter, Alex Skala, Nir Davidson and Ossie Khan - LDO/Organiser. Pilot 1: Chris Duehurst – Go Wild Ballooning

18 jumps on 18th Birthday

Joe Bergic at Corowa on 7 March 2001. 17 jumps on Corowa airport and one into the Ettamogah Pub near Albury.

"Largest Lingerie Load"

12 May 2002, 12 May 2002, at Nagambie, Victoria, 12 female skydivers attempted to create a record for the “Largest Lingerie Load”. This was attempted wearing only lingerie and rigs and was an Anti-Cancer Council fund-raising event on Mothers’ Day. Twelve represents the likelihood of one in 12 women dying of breast cancer

12 person star participants were Kath Hoffman, Theresa Malin, Kate Rose, Bec Kerr, Carley Young, Naomi “Nomes” Ross, Kristy Heron, Lisa Perdichizzi, Lisa Dell’Oro, Stacey Connell, Michaela “Chicky” Bell, Jude Freeman.

Wingsuit achievements

Largest Female Wingsuit Formation

5 Way, Ramblers Parachute Centre, Toogoolawah, Qld. 29th April 2011. Participants: Kathryn Mettler, Lorraine Duff, Clare Mitchell, Karen Fuller, Hayden Galvin.

Largest Australian Wingsuit Formations

Over the Afterlife Boogie held at Coffs Harbour late October 2009, four new Wingsuit achievements were set. A new “Grid System” for judging formations has been developed, being adopted by at least two country’s parachuting federations so far (USPA and PASA). As at May 2011 the system has not yet been adopted by the IPC. The achievements are as follows - click on the links for images and participants:

1. Australian Wingsuit, a 10 way formation.

2. Australian POPS Wingsuit, a 9 way formation.

3. WORLD POPS Wingsuit, a 9 way formation.

4. Australian Wingsuit, a 13 way formation.