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Sports

Seniors Smash Skydiving Record In Lake Elsinore

A group of 55 seniors over 60 parachuted together today in Lake Elsinore.

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.

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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.

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"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 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.

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