Up a dusty gravel road, in a hangar just outside Ottawa, Roger Nelson goes over the details with his team again, and again, and again. In less than 30 days he will be leading 300 skydivers in an attempt to break the world record for number of people in a formation, and everything is on the line.
More than three years, $3 million and 14 months of ground and jump training have been invested so far, and the clock is ticking.
The previous record of 200 was set in South Carolina in 1991, according to Nelson. He plans to beat it by as much as 100 jumpers, with their attempts beginning on July 18.
“I think our chances are about 95 percent at breaking the record,” he said. “As far as getting all 300 people together, maybe 85 percent.”
With more than 6,500 jumps and 108 hours of freefall time, Nelson is a member of an elite fraternity of skydivers. There are fewer than 25 people in the world with the same kind of experience. The team will be jumping from as high as 21,000 feet, requiring them to be on oxygen for the ride up. Falling toward the earth at close to 120 m.p.h., they will have just 65 seconds to complete their pattern, which they must hold for at least three seconds to satisfy the judges, before having to pull their rip cords.
Bridget Sanecki, 23, of Naperville will be the first jumper out the door. The rest of the team will use her as a marker to build the pattern around. Because the fleet of 12 planes will be flying 1,000 feet apart, the rest of the team will have only seconds to jump and begin forming their pattern. Holding herself spread-eagle against the rushing air, Sanecki will slow her descent so the other jumpers can catch up to her.
“It puts her at an incredible disadvantage” Nelson explained. “The entire jump she is straining her body into a position to get the most lift to come back up and catch us.”
Observers from the National Aeronautic Association will be on hand to verify the jump for the Guinness Book of World Records. Both ABC and Fox television will air specials that will feature the attempt later in the year.
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Nelson and his team’s attempts for the record are scheduled July 18-23 at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa. Call 815-433-0000, or visit www.skydivechicago.com online.
