[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jun-29-01 AT 04:21 PM (PST)[/font][p]Hello Everyone -
Wow - what a fun time in Twin Falls!
The Snake River BASE Games was a blast...
Thank you Avery, Harry, and Dennis for all of the hard work and putting on a first class event!
I made 24 jumps during my stay and as usual, had just as much fun seeing old friends and making new ones -- that's what makes these events so much fun.
So much went on...here are a few personal highlights:
1) The competition enjoyed nice weather. The temperature was really hot...but nothing that a dousing in the water couldn't cure.
2) The competition itself was really tight! If you landed more than a meter or two out on a single landing, you were out of the top three. Look at the stats for the last 5 years of IPBC competitions and you can see *dramatic* improvements in both openings and precision landings. Thank you IPBC! Your comps have helped many of us focus and improve our skills.
2) Congratulations Dwain Weston for winning the competition - awesome display of accuracy and skill! (and he did this while still healing from a broken arm) Also congratulations to Annie for an awesome performance and also to Cliff Ryder. Cliff just might be *the* most consistent competitor out there. He almost always places 4th...well this time, he broke into the top 3! I haven't added up the scores yet...but I'm willing to bet that Cliff Ryder might be in 1st place for the year...
3) If competitions aren't for you, there was plenty of other fun to be had! Lots of other people were out there having fun and seeking knowledge from other jumpers. Every time I walk away from these events, I have a new trick or two under my belt.
4) Consolidated Rigging Inc. was on-hand with demos of their new canopies, the Ace and the Black Jack...as well as their BASE-specific round parachute, the Tektite. Both the Ace and the Black Jack are *incredible* advancements in BASE canopy design. These canopies are completely new airfoils that Adam Fillipino designed from the links up. I was fortunate enough to be involved in the testing phase for the canopies and probably have more jumps than anyone on the Black Jack -- I'm hoping have a detailed "user-report" on the canopy sometime soon.
5) I was also completely stoked after an all slider-down Ill Vision 6-way. Members of the jump included: Avery Badenhop, Cliff Ryder, Henry Boger, Jim Surber, Colin from Paratech Rigging, and myself. I was right in the middle of the dive and I was looking left and right during my deployment sequence, I certainly had an Ill Vision or two!
6) Dennis McGlynn organized an awesome 14-way! Let me tell you, the timing was pretty incredible....as it needs to be when your launching 14 people from a 485ft object! And just for gee-whiz info...the only 3 canopies that went in the water were the three rounds on the jump.
7) And speaking of rounds, I made my first round BASE jump! Talk about gear fear...it felt like I was reliving my first BASE jump all over again. To give you an idea of how much fun it was: within one hour of drying out the round, I ordered a Tektite and a tiny Perigee to put it in. Hot summer days at the Perrine will never be the same for me...
8) Tom Sanders was on hand; not only to take a picture or two, but to also make several BASE jumps himself! Tom was looking sharp and every time I turned around, I found him hucking himself off the exit point with style. The usual comment from the crowd at the exit point was, "Wow, here I am filming Tom Sanders - imagine that!" ;-)
9) And of course, there was the Ill Vixens...probably the sharpest looking crew out there. (not to mention the hottest!) They're gear looks awesome and if I can ever get my openings as dialed in as Karin's, I'll be one happy pup. And a big shout goes out to Carrie who did an awesome job on several different multi-ways - you go girl! A medal for courage and determination should be awarded to the beautiful Lisa B...who not only jumped with her ankle in a splint, but still kicked butt on her accuracy landings. And then there was Denise...always going "deep" on several round jumps...you gals were looking good and were defintely "livin' up to it"!
10) Canada was on scene and making its presence known by the likes of Michael and Spence. Two awesome dudes from up North that were out there hucking it like crazy and taking names by storm. It was really nice hanging out with you guys and making so many jumps. I hope to see both of you down in my neck of the woods this Fall!
11) And of course, there was the Huckin' Idiot. You can't help but smile around this guy -- he's a jumper that's bursting with talent...but he'll also leave you bursting at the seams with his silly antics. The "monkey-boy" exit is just one of many. And the Baffin footage was phenomenal...it's the stuff dreams are made of -- thanks for the inspiration!
I could carry on for hours about all of the cool people and fun times that I enjoyed last week. But rather than do that, I'll let you be the judge. If you haven't ever tried an event like this, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. Come and check out the Snake River BASE Games next year -- smiles and good times are guaranteed.
C-ya!
Bryan
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks