Seniors Smash Skydiving Record In Lake Elsinore
A group of 55 seniors over 60 parachuted together today in Lake Elsinore.
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A group of sexagenarians parachuted into the record books today in the skies over Lake Elsinore by executing an interlocked group jump of 55 people, all of whom are over 60.
These 55 members of a group called SOS -- an acronym for Skydivers Over Sixty -- broke a world skydiving record, which was formerly held by a group of 48 who dove in formation, according to SOS founder Pat Moorehead.
The SOS group smashed the record at about 10 a.m. at Skylark Field Airport, off Corydon Road, by executing an interlocking formation while 12,500 feet above the ground, plummeting through space at 120 mph.
The parachutes opened about 5 minutes from connecting with the earth.
Moorehead’s wife, Alicia, one of the jumpers, said the experience was definitely one for the recordbooks.
"We have been trying for years and it was awesome," she said. "When the formation is built properly in the air, all the people just become quiet and electricity goes through the air."
Pat Moorehead, who started jumping at Skydive Elsinore in 1969, founded the group in 1992 -- just six months after turning 60.
Moorehead is 79 now and still makes about 150 jumps a year, but this one was special.
‘’Everyone was focused, smooth and solid as the formation built and we were pretty sure we got it," he said. "We didn’t know for sure until we saw the video at the debrief.
“This sport keeps us young,” he added.
According to the group’s website, Moorehead decided to gather all of his over-60 friends to make a jump.
He began with 10-person formation dives.
Keeping a list of those first 10 and inviting other jumpers over 60 to join this new group, he eventually picked a select cadre of senior jumpers.
Currently, the group has 1,540 members in 25 countries, according to Moorhead.
Now that the record is broken, SOS will try a few more jumps today in an attempt to reach the magic, and alliterative number of 60 jumpers.
John Hamilton is co-owner of Skydive Elsinore and said he has made more than 7,000 jumps.
“I love working with these people and this opportunity to help form a team to break this world record," he said.
Skydive Perris donated a Skyvan to help out this weekend and the other planes are Twin Otter models owned by Skydive Elsinore.
For more information on SOS, visit the organization website at www.thepops.org.
Kristine Anderson
1:05 pm on Sunday, April 17, 2011
What brave souls! Great article and pics too!
Janice Carabine
2:57 pm on Sunday, April 17, 2011
Some of these people have had thousand of jumps over a 50 year span... I found that most said it is very addicting. They were a great group of inspiring individuals to be with.
Kathey
3:17 pm on Sunday, April 17, 2011
This is so cool!!!!! Maybe when I am a senior I might FINALLY be ready to jump lol.....
Janice Carabine
4:13 pm on Sunday, April 17, 2011
If you spend an afternoon with them you will likely get the bug for it. Your first jump is always done tandem:).. after several hours of classroom instructions.
Suzanne Cosmo
6:22 pm on Sunday, April 17, 2011
Well this is something I always thought I would like to do and was kinda freaked out, but after reading the article and seeing the great pictures I think I may give this a try. Everyone looks happy and ready to go. Thanks for sharing and the great pictures.
Suz
Allen Beck
6:52 pm on Sunday, April 17, 2011
Great story. Sounds absolutely exillerating! I can believe the talk about how it must have felt once they were finally linked in flight. All the planning and effort to get it just right. Good for them to stay with it. Thanks for bringing a terrific story to us.
John Larsen
8:03 pm on Sunday, April 17, 2011
WOW! The video is absolutely awesome! Congrats to my "elders" on a great jump! :P
Warren
8:52 pm on Sunday, April 17, 2011
Was there a news brief in the patch that I missed about when this event was going to happen? I would have loved to watch it as a spectator. I saw a large group of divers in the sky on Friday but didn't know they were practicing for a record. Great video! I still don't see a good reason to jump out of a perfectly good airplane (lol)
Janice Carabine
9:00 pm on Sunday, April 17, 2011
I heard about it late, there was so much going on this weekend around town. SO glad I got to spend a few hours with this group. I do not think I would jump out of a plane either, but honestly their enthusiasm might get you there !!
Janice Carabine
9:01 pm on Sunday, April 17, 2011
We were very fortunate that Terry gave us this video :). It is powerful .
marysmith
9:53 pm on Sunday, April 17, 2011
Wow that was a great video Congratulations on a great story well done Brave bunch of seniors
tavy ban
6:38 am on Monday, April 18, 2011
Great pictures, that's a great video too. Very informative story. We can see the Divers from my house
it's very spectacular.
Mary SantAngelo
7:06 am on Monday, April 18, 2011
Janice Carabine wrote :
If you spend an afternoon with them you will likely get the bug for it. Your first jump is always done tandem:).. after several hours of classroom instructions.
Yes, the sport can be very addicting.
I'd like to offer some corrections to your statement. Your first jump DOES NOT need to be a Tandem jump. For those wondering, a Tandem Skydive is where you are physically harnessed to an instructor during your jump. Most times the training for making this skydive is about 20 minutes prior to making your skydive.
Accelerated Free Fall is for people that want to make a jump wearing their own parachute system and most times the training for this skydive is anywhere from six to to eight hours.
Living in the Southern Calif. area, we are lucky to have two great skydiving schools located here, Lake Elsinore, and Skydive Perris.
Janice Carabine
4:59 pm on Monday, April 18, 2011
Mary, Thank you for this information I did not know that you could do a first jump by yourself... I just got snippets on the weekend. I appreciate you setting this straight and giving us all more information It sounds like you jump !! :)
Kristi Garfield
12:43 am on Sunday, April 24, 2011
WOW! 55 seniors interlocked together plummeting down to Lake Elsinore at 120 mph! Kudos to you all! That is definately not on my bucket list. Great article, informative. The pics and video are great! Thanks for all your work to bring us a GREAT story.
DEBBIE YANTA
5:09 pm on Thursday, May 5, 2011
WHAT A GREAT EVENT. WONDERFUL PHOTOS AND VIDEO. SIXTY IS ONLY MID-LIFE, SO MORE POWER TO THEM!!! VERY INFORMATIVE ARTICLE, TOO.
Daniel Lane
10:15 am on Monday, June 13, 2011
nice