Interview with Douggs on ProBASE

[elamarillo]

Douggs gives an interview to ProBASE on the sport, its evolution and future, as well as some personal insights in his carreer and plans.
Interview with Douggs

[mknutson]

Chris McDouggal, better known in the BASE Scene as "Douggs" and one of the most accomplished BASE Jumpers around, talked to us about developments in the sport since he started, where it is headed and what he has learned along the way

PB: How long have you been BASE Jumping and what’s your experience level?


Douggs: I started base jumping not long after I started skydiving, back in 1997, I had about 30 skydives before I did my first base jump but then I waited until I had 200 until I started jumping properly. I now have 2100+ base jumps and 6900+ skydives although I pretty much stopped skydiving about 3 years ago due to its high costs.

PB: How have you seen BASE jumping change/improve over the years?

Douggs: Base jumping has changed so much since I started jumping. The gear technology has come along in leaps and bounds. The gear is very reliable but is also stylish and light weight.
A huge wealth of knowledge has developed over the years that was never there when I started jumping. Even though it wasn’t that long ago we still had to make everything up ourselves back then. It is great now that everybody shares their information, it definitely has helped make base jumping safer!
The sport has evolved so much in styles as well, when I first started jumping it was only about jumping off the object safely but then aerobatics came into fashion and a lot of people started doing that, including myself.

Then we had the development of big wall tracking and wingsuit flying and that is where it is all heading today, especially with proximity flying. It is both amazing and very dangerous, I can´t even imagine where base jumping will be in another 10 years. I can´t wait to see it and I hope I am still jumping hard then as well.

PB: Is it easier to start BASE jumping these days?

Douggs: It is definitely easier to get into the sport these days, I think it is a good thing and also a bad thing.
When we started you really had to show that you were committed, you had to buy your own gear before a mentor would even teach you and you had to spend about 12 months doing ground crew. All of the jumps we were doing were illegal so breaking the law was normal. Also in Australia the cliff jumps are very full on so only people that were fully committed to the sport stayed in it, it weeded out the men from the boys so to speak. I really think this was the best way to learn. It took a lot longer but you learnt a hell of a lot more over time rather than just crammed into a 2 day course.

These days base jumping isn’t just a passion for people it’s a business. There are so many people charging a lot of money for base courses and people are just being taught way to fast and then just being left to fend for them selves, it also attracts people that maybe shouldn’t be in the sport, that is why there will always be injuries and deaths in this sport as it is growing so rapidly. But in saying that I really think the courses have their place as it is just so hard for people to find mentors these days because of the rapid growth of this sport.

PB: How was it publishing a book about your life and BASE career, and what was the feedback you got?

Douggs: I like to do personal projects, whether it be recording music or making videos, I like to challenge myself. I wasn’t so good at school with English and stuff so I thought it was be a really cool challenge to write a book of my life so far. It really was just a personal project and I wasn’t even going to get it published but my friend Jeremy Samson read the lump of paper stapled together and said he would love to publish it. I didn’t have the money to do it so he did it all and that’s the only reason it ever saw the light of day I was happy to leave it as it was but I am glad it happened like it has. It is actually my 4th book.

I wrote most of it when I was out with injuries and it took about 5 years over all, it was a mission to actually turn it into a proper book and i now admire anyone who publishes a book, there is no money in it, just love.

It’s a bit scary having everyone know everything about you and your life both good and bad but I wear my heart on my sleave when I write whether people like it or not, that’s who I am. I am very proud of it over all!


PB: What do you think about the ProBASE Competition series? Is the time ripe for it?

Douggs: I’m a huge supporter of the ProBASE competition series. I think the sport is growing very fast and people are starting to see it as a sport rather than just some crazy guys jumping of things with a death wish. People are starting to see the skills involved and I think it’s great that we can take this to the public in certain countries. It can only help the sport in the long run!


PB: How is it gonna further the sport?

Douggs: Public awareness is the key. Give them knowledge of the sport and they will understand it better and give it more of a chance. The more people that like it; the better off it will be for the jumpers. It is a long road but it will get there one day in the future,

PB: Who do you think are the favorites in the series?

Douggs: Definitely Klaus Renz for the accuracy side of things, he is amazing.
Ted Rudd and Rami will be hard to beat in the tracking and of course the likes of Espen Fatnes, Frode Johanessen, Reiner Ebert and Livia Dickie for the wingsuiting.
I’m hoping to have a bit of a chance for the tracking and accuracy myself!


PB: Whats your plans for the near future in and out of the sport?

Douggs: Now that I am unemployed I’m just going to hang out in Europe and the USA for the rest of the summer and deal with reality in October after the KL event when I move back to Australia. I will be base-jumping, paragliding and speed flying pretty much every single day until then. And of course partying like a rock star every night because that’s what life is all about. Having a blast and living for the moment!
Never stop dreaming :

PB: Thank you very much for taking the time to talk to us!

[Blitzkrieg]

Douggs is the man... it's always a good time partying like a rock star with him!