Ten years after the current record was set, a highly skilled international team of skydivers, known as The Vertical Elite, is attempting to create a new Guinness World Record for the largest head-down vertical formation. The team is targeting a massive 200-way formation, aiming to surpass the current 164-way record. The record attempt jumps are taking place this week at Skydive Chicago.
The current record, a 164-way single-point formation, was achieved at the same location on July 31, 2015. This new attempt is a major leap in the discipline, showcasing a decade of progression in vertical formation skydiving.
The monumental effort involves 200 skydivers, who will exit from nine aircraft at an altitude of 19,000 feet. They will have just 60 seconds of working time in freefall to assemble and hold the complex formation before breaking away and deploying their parachutes.
Among the elite group are several members of the Australian Parachute Federation (APF), including Australian team captain Scott Hiscoe, alongside Christian Bowers, Mark Gazley, Emma Jaber, Shane Onis, Tanita Rutherford, Simon Walsh, and Rob Wylie. Their selection follows a rigorous training and selection process.
Organizers are confident that the new team, combined with a fresh formation design and a new perspective, will successfully break the current record. The attempt is being watched closely by the global skydiving community, with live streaming available for enthusiasts to witness the high-stakes, high-flying action in real-time.
