ECF Challenge 2018, day 3

ECF Challenge 2018, day 3 with a new record!

This morning we woke up with the 30-way dirt dive of the night before still in our minds.

After a good breakfast, the clouds put us on a hold before we could make the first attempt. Too bad, we were just 5 seconds short of completing the formation on the first attempt.  But, after another cloud interruption, at 14:05 we succeeded in establishing a new European record! In anticipation of an official confirmation by the Federation Aeronautique International (FAI), we are confident enough to claim the record of 30 participants.  Whereas, in the first attempt a cloud blocked the view from the ground making it difficult to observe the last seconds of the dive, in the  second attempt  it was very clear to see from the ground that the formation was built well in time. With this  record we broke the 28-way record that was flown by our Russian comrades on 26 August. But, with Konstantin Krivosheev and Kira Tsindiaikina also in this record the 30-way is also partially Russian. Thank you Konstantin and Kira for joining us. If you are now expelled from your club… we can offer you asylum.  😉

As a good tradition we offer all those who trained hard during the season to have their chance in a record dive. Because of that, a second record team was formed by taking out 4 participants and putting in Piotr Czubak, Tomasz CEDRO, Justyna Sinica and Cristinel Popescu who could not join the first attempt. Unfortunately, this second dive did not result in a second record.

Although we reached our record goal, we will continue to train at Teuge airport this weekend. We are looking back on a successful event and will now aim our arrows at our next challenge. As part of the 50th anniversary of the Parachute Centre at Teuge, in June 2019 we will try to realize the largest formation ever over Europe, a 64-way formation. This will be done by also inviting our CF-friends from overseas and far down under.