By Jenna Brossman
Skydivers from across the globe will head to Florida this fall for the most fast-paced and spectator-friendly aerial action sport—the Fifth Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) World Canopy Piloting Championships Tuesday to Friday, November 4-7 at Skydive City Zephyrhills, located at 4241 Sky Dive Ln.
The World Canopy Piloting Championships, previously held in Vienna, Austria; 2006, Pretoria, South Africa; 2008, Kolomna, Russia; 2010 and Dubai, UAE in 2012, will come to the United States for the first time. Skydive City Zephyrhills will welcome skydivers from around the world.
“It’s an honor to host this spectacular international event as it comes to the U.S. for the first time. We’re thrilled to welcome competitors from around the world, and are appreciative of the tremendous support we’ve received from Pasco County Tourism, the City of Zephyrhills and the Chamber of Commerce. With so many fierce competitors attending, it’s sure to be an exciting event,” said Skydive City Zephyrhills President/GM David TK Hayes.
More than 100 of the world’s most daring and advanced aerial athletes from 29 nations will deploy their parachutes and “swoop” through narrow slalom-like courses for hundreds of yards across the ground and over water at speeds reaching 90 mph. These are skydiving’s ultimate pros, battling for the title of World Champion of Canopy Piloting.
The canopy piloting championships include competitions in speed, in which pilots try to fly as quickly as possible through a course; distance, which involves flying as far as possible across the ground; and accuracy, in which canopy pilots must stop on an exact spot for maximum points. This showcase of parachuting proficiency will take place across the Skydive City’s large swoop pond.
Watch the elite U.S. Parachute Team—including defending world champion Curt Bartholomew, reigning national champion Tom Dellibac and multiple world-record holder Nicholas Batsch—as they battle it out against the best canopy pilots from across the globe.
The championships are free and open to the public. Spectators are invited for an up-close view to catch the fast-paced action across a large swooping pond.
For more information, visit http://www.cpworldzhills.com/ or call 783-9399
