This past weekend, the skies over Georgia became the backdrop for the beginnings of remarkable achievements. A group of fearless women from various states, fueled by a shared passion for skydiving, came together to break an existing Georgia state skydiving record and set new records.
Each member of the group brought a unique set of skills to the table. Some were seasoned skydivers with thousands of jumps under their belts, while others were relatively new to the sport but all were driven by a shared goal. This diversity in experience levels added to the richness of the experience, as seasoned veterans mentored and inspired newcomers.
The Journey to the RecordS
This particular group of women have never completed a skydive together prior to the record setting weekend. They are not a skydiving team; they came together for this record attempt only and had to learn each other’s strengths and balance out any weaknesses in a very short amount of time. A practice weekend was slated for July but the weather did not cooperate. Because there wasn’t a practice weekend, they spent Saturday making five practice skydives to learn where each skydiver performed best. By the fifth skydive of the day, the women successfully completed the attempted record but couldn’t count it just yet. Technically, record jumps must be declared to a judge ahead of the skydive. Since Saturday was just a practice, the skydive wasn’t declared ahead of time and couldn’t count as the official record-breaking jump. The women knew they had to do it again Sunday.
The Record-Breaking JumpS
Sunday morning arrived with a sense of anticipation, excitement and good (but hot) weather. The women gathered at the dropzone at 7:30am to allow for a full day of record attempts. The atmosphere was calm but there was a sense of determination in the air as they suited up, checked their gear, and boarded Skydive Monroe’s King Air that would take them to their jump altitude.
As the plane climbed to 13,000+ feet, the women remained calm and focused, running through the jump sequence in their minds. The moment the airplane door opened, they sprang into action with the precision of a well-oiled machine.
In freefall, the women formed a breathtaking 12-way formation, holding it steady as they plummeted toward the earth at speeds of around 120 miles per hour. The choreography of their movements was a testament to the full day of practice, with each woman playing a crucial role in the success of the formation.
After holding the formation long enough to secure the record the group broke apart, deploying their parachutes and gracefully gliding back to the landing area. Cheers erupted from those on the ground as they landed, having just broken the existing state record.
Not one, not two, but three state records
After the victory from the first skydive of the day, these women wanted to see what else they could do. With the whole day ahead of them, they attempted to set two additional state records and were successful at each attempt. Jeana Billings of Skydive Paraclete XP coached the group throughout the weekend. She noted the weekend as, “Nothing short of magical. Skydives like these leave a lasting impression as we built formations in the sky and friendships on the ground.” The staff and jumpers at Skydive Monroe supported the women throughout the weekend, as did the customers who learned about the attempt.
This achievement will undoubtedly inspire more women to take up skydiving and other extreme sports. These record-setting ladies showed that with determination, teamwork, and a willingness to work hard, anything is possible.
Here are the names of all involved in the record-setting weekend:
Bill Scott, Owner of Skydive Monroe
Charles Harker, pilot, Skydive Monroe
Bruce Meinert, S&TA, Official Observer, Skydive Monroe
Chris Wagner, USPA Judging Official
Record Holders:
Natalie Arcia, Skydive Miami
Tiffany Becker, Skydive Monroe
Jeana Billings, organizer and participant, Skydive Paraclete XP
Katia Carte, Skydive Monroe
Kori Davis, Skydive Carolina
Elizabeth Donatucci, Skydive Monroe
Ann Durand, Skydive Monroe
Anne French, Skydive Paraclete XP
Vicki Harness, Skydive Paraclete XP
Karli Muhaw, Skydive Monroe
Lotem Ragwan, Skydive Deland
Lauren Turner, Skydive Monroe
Kevin Penn, videographer/photographer, Skydive Paraclete XP
View their skydives, along with their records, at the links below:
Looking Ahead
The women who set these Georgia skydiving records are already looking to the future. They hope to break more records in other states, and who knows, maybe even compete at a national level. The state skydiving record set by these incredible women is a milestone that will be remembered for years to come. It’s a powerful reminder that the sky is not the limit—it’s just the beginning.
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