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Brit Chicks Rock! |
October 2002 |
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It's Wednesday 5 September, and Langar drop zone has had a sudden influx of chicks. We're all here for the British Women's Record attempt. Most of us, me included, have been to the training weekend just gone and many to the warm-up weekend in June. This time the weather is being kinder and, as I stand there clutching my logbook which details my less than 300 jumps, I am relieved to learn that I share the same level of experience as many of the other women. |
 The 50-way record by Simon Ward |
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Things are starting.
Lesley Gale begins by outlining our goals for the week. Top priority is,
as always, safety, goal number 1 is no-one hurt. Next on the list is to
break the existing record of 38 by building a 40-way... and then to go
on and smash that record with a sexy 50-way. Our other goals are to
raise money for Penny Roberts and Vicky Holton, two women seriously
injured in skydiving accidents. Lastly we hope to raise the profile of
women in the sport.
Lesley and Kate [Stephens] quickly organise us into groups. 40 girls are put into the three aircraft (Langar's Grand Caravan and TurboLet, and a Belgian Skyvan, brought in for the week). Work begins on setting a new British Women's Record. To be honest I didn't think I stood a chance of being on the dive. I had less than 300 jumps and very little 'big-way' experience. But that wasn't the point - I was part of the whole 'Brit Chick' thing. We all knew that this was an opportunity to learn, to be coached by some of Britain's best and to gain valuable experience; so finding myself on the 'bench' with half a dozen other girls being coached by Rotti, certainly was an experience! Rotti had a clear idea of what slots each of his 'bench bitches' (as he so lovingly referred to us as!) would be doing on the record. Each coaching jump was organised in such a way as to allow us to practise the skills we would need on the 50-way. As we walked to the end of runway 07 for the third coaching jump that day, our thoughts of swooping, staying in our quadrant, and flat tracking were quickly interrupted by the whooping and cheering of 40 women who had just broke the existing record. And just in time too as the wind was beginning to pick up. None of us minded the weather hold though - it just meant that we had more time to watch the video and cheer at that moment when everything came together. Friday was a wash-out but Saturday began with renewed vigour and excitement. This time we were out to smash our own record with a 50-way. Slots were swapped and more women were brought in. It felt like déja vu. There we were at the end of 07 again, Rotti and his 'bench bitches', but this time watching the skies for a 50-way. Canopies cracked open above us, but this time no cheering. It was strange - you would have expected us to be secretly relieved or happy, after all this meant that we still stood a chance of getting a slot on the 50-way. But we all felt genuinely disappointed. We all wanted this to work. Yet it was early days, and the weather was still being kind. Once we had completed our coaching jumps and all the girls were back on the ground, there was another quick re-shuffle of some of the slots. Suddenly I'm being told to get someone else to pack for me, as I'm needed on a 50-way dirt-dive. The next thing I know I'm sat in the Let looking out of the window at the Skyvan and the Caravan. Personally I found the experience of being in the trail plane quite strange. It begins with the usual ride up to altitude and some small talk. But then it goes quiet as everyone's thoughts turn to the task in hand. As we reach altitude people suddenly come to life again, as pin checks are done, goggles cleaned and helmets put on again. Then we all scramble to the middle of the plane as we all hold hands and listen to Kate's pep talk. The seats are moved back. The lights go on. The door is opened. Everything goes silent. Absolute silence. All you are concentrating on is the rig in front of you, waiting for the smallest movement. Then suddenly you're out of the plane, the base is already there and you can see Lesley's jumpsuit like a yellow beacon. You know where you have to go and so does every other woman in the sky. Slowly we came together. It's 6,000 feet and as I look across the formation I can see that it's not quite complete. Now the base are kicking their legs and we're out of altitude. Back on the ground we
watch the videos, pack and dirt dive again. Once more we attempt the
50-way, and once more we were so close but not close enough; and now the
weather is turning. |
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Hours go by and, just
when we think that we'll have to leave the record until Sunday morning,
we're put on a 20 minute call. We all know that this will be our last
chance to jump today - and so does everyone else on the DZ. Everyone
comes out in force to cheer us on as we walk out to the aircraft.
Suddenly we're all there again in the sky. For a moment it strikes me that it is as if Lesley's jumpsuit is a magnet and we're all being drawn around her. But not on this jump. As the canopies open, there is an eerie silence and I sit there looking at a beautiful sunset. The record will have to wait until tomorrow - tonight we party! Sunday morning and we all meet for a dirt dive again - perhaps a little worse for wear after the night's drinking and dancing. For the fifth time we walk out to the aircraft. By now, not only do we each have a slot on the formation, but we all have our own slots in the aircraft. The planes climb and we go through the same ritual of hand slaps and pin checks, doors opening and then… silence. Again we all explode out of the plane. The base is there, everyone is in her quadrant, grips are taken and, as I look across the formation I panic as I see somebody low - then realise that it's a cameraman. 50 faces look around, and then begin screaming and cheering as we realise that we've done it! We've set a new British Women's Record - a 50-way! I'm still cheering as I turn and track. Only when the canopies open do I hear 49 other women whooping and cheering as well. Once we're on the ground it's a mad rush back together to laugh, smile, hug and cry. We've done it! All of us! As I sit here now remembering, I begin to realise what each of us was part of. Not just the women on formation - but all of us Brit Chicks who were there. We all played a vital role in making the 50-way possible. And I know that as we return to work, we are all smiling to ourselves as we remember how we were each a part of that perfect moment in freefall. But did we achieve the goals set out? Yes - and then some! Safety was always the priority and, out of the 410 jumps that we had done to build first the 40-way and then the 50-way, we suffered only one mal and the only injury was a sprained finger. We smashed two British Records in one week and over £4,000 was raised for Penny and Vicky. Brit Chicks have also begun setting up a benevolent fund for skydivers, which will be presented to the BPA at the next AGM. Did we raise the profile of women in the sport? Just last weekend I had two female RAPS students asking me about the women's way before they even began ground school training! So if you're reading this and you've just started in the sport - it doesn't matter how many or how few jumps you have - if you get the opportunity to be part of something like this then, go for it! Even if you don't find yourself with a slot on a record attempt, what's the worse that can happen? You can learn loads, make great friends, have an awesome time, and be part of something big. Try it - you may surprise yourself! Words
by Lisa James |
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The Brit Chicks
team celebrating their achievement Photo: Simon Ward Round
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