100 Women Skydivers Attempt World Record
Dubbed Project 19, the November spectacle will celebrate women’s rights and highlight women’s issues
ELOY, Ariz. (Sept. 30, 2022) – Nearly 100 of the best female skydivers on the map will attempt a world record Nov. 20-26 at Skydive Arizona. Called Project 19, the skilled team of women from 22 countries has an average of 10 years each in the sport and 150,000 jumps among them.
The original mission of the Women’s Skydiving Network (WSN)’s Project 19 was to build a 100-way Women’s “Vertical” (head-down) World Record in 2020 to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which was the amendment to the U.S. Constitution that gave women the right to vote.
As COVID-19 spread, the mission was put on hold. But now, in 2022, the international group of expert women skydivers will again meet in November to try and beat the all-women 65-way world record set in 2016. Professional skydivers Sara Curtis and Amy Chmelecki, who were instrumental in securing the 2016 record, are leading Project 19.
Roughly a century ago, a wave of women’s rights spread slowly across the globe, beginning with the right to vote. The right to own property, control personal wealth and even control one’s own body continues to be challenged in many areas of the world, including the United States.
Lack of representation and equality impact nearly every aspect of women’s lives and the sport of skydiving is no exception, with only 14% of skydivers identifying as female, according to the United States Parachute Association (USPA). As such, Project 19 has grown to be more than a celebration of the 19th Amendment, but a celebration of women’s rights and issues worldwide.
“The commitment, drive and unwavering optimism from this team are contagious,” Chmelecki said. “Do not underestimate women skydivers or women period. This sport is extreme, and pulling this off takes fearless adventurers that understand the mental and physical strength required to be the best. Through our work in the sky, we hope to inspire women and girls to celebrate themselves, fight for what is right and look for adventure in their lives.”
Chmelecki and her teammates have trained for years. Most recently, the world record “core” of 40 women practiced their center formation at the world’s biggest wind tunnel at CLYMB Abu Dhabi. At a massive diameter of 32 feet, CLYMB’s tunnel allowed the women to practice continuously the vertical freefall portion of the jump without jumping out of an airplane or deploying a parachute.
Many of the women perform Hollywood stunts and are world champion athletes, yet they say the world record they are attempting will be one of their toughest. To achieve the form, they will challenge themselves to perfectly and safely hold hands – falling at 160 miles per hour for just 80 seconds – in a head-to-earth orientation with incredible balance and skill. They hope to courageously show the world that when women come together, incredible feats can be accomplished, and in the process, earn both a Guinness and FAI World Record.
Spectators are welcome and encouraged to attend this colossal undertaking. Skydive Arizona – located approximately an hour both southeast of Phoenix and northwest of Tucson – will maintain its regular business hours and traditional services, including instructor-led tandem jumps.
For more information about Project 19, click here, or follow the attempts on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok.
About Women’s Skydiving Network (WSN)
The Women’s Skydiving Network is a non-profit organization that provides female skydivers of all experience levels with training, scholarships, networking, and fellowship in hopes of increasing the number of leaders in the sport. The United States Parachute Association (USPA) reports there are 35,000 active U.S. skydivers, but only 14% are females. The WSN supports two special initiatives: The Highlight Pro Skydiving Team and Project 19. Both promote women’s empowerment and equality in skydiving and beyond.
About USPA
Founded in 1946, the United States Parachute Association (USPA) is a nonprofit association dedicated to the promotion of safe skydiving nationwide, establishing strict safety standards, training policies and programs at more than 200 USPA-affiliated skydiving schools and centers throughout the United States. Each year, USPA’s 40,000 members and hundreds of thousands of first-timers make roughly 3.3 million jumps in the U.S. USPA represents skydivers before all levels of government, the public and the aviation industry and sanctions national skydiving competitions and records. For more information on making a first jump or to find a skydiving center near you, visit www.uspa.org or call 800.371.USPA.
About Skydive Arizona
Skydive Arizona™ is located in the heart of the scenic Sonoran Desert and lies midway between Arizona's two largest cities, Phoenix and Tucson. In 1990 Skydive Arizona™ obtained its first turbine airplane, a Westwind Beech. Business continued to grow and a new location was sought out that would allow for further expansion. Work began on the new DZ at Eloy (just 10 miles from Coolidge) in February of 1991, and the new facility opened for business in April of 1991.
Skydivers soon learned that the new Skydive Arizona™ was unlike any other drop zone in the world. Although close to major highways, it is surrounded by flat, uninhabited land for miles in every direction. Visitors remark on the oasis-like appearance of the center, which has plenty of grass, a swimming pool, and trees in the midst of an otherwise barren desert.
It takes more than just great facilities to put thousands of skydivers a year in the air efficiently and safely. No other skydiving center has the quality or quantity of aircraft found at Skydive Arizona™. The fleet is led by 5 Super Otters and 7 Skyvans, each capable of taking twenty three skydivers to 13,000 feet.
A venerable DC-3, once the workhorse of the fleet, carries the occasional load of 43 jumpers. Altogether, these airplanes can put over 240 skydivers at a time in the air, or over 500 jumps an hour!
Media Contact: Ali Westergren, ali@dittoepr.com, 317-508-7446 *If you’re a journalist interested in taking a tandem skydive with an elite USPA skydiver, please reach out to Ali Westergren at ali@dittoepr.com.