While the rest of us were eating Thanksgiving leftovers and shopping Black Friday deals, a group of impressive women made history in the Arizona desert. The team with Project 19 brought 80 women from 22 countries, who are the world’s best female skydivers, together to set a new world record.
Their original mission was to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, with 100 women skydiving to set the Women’s Vertical World Record. But that was back in 2020 and COVID delayed their plan. But over the holiday weekend, Project 19 skydivers were finally able to do it, setting the new world record for the largest all-women head-down (“vertical”) skydive.
Their goal was to beat the previous record of 65 skydivers, set back in 2016, and they did that on their very first jump with 71. Then later that same day, the group beat it again with 80 skydivers. “In less than 60 seconds, these women challenged themselves to perfectly and safely hold hands, falling at 200 mph, in a head-to-earth orientation with incredible balance and skill,” explains Melissa Nelson with Project 19. “It’s been an incredible ride to see us pull this off.” She says that if their skydiving inspires girls and women to do something they’ve always wanted to do, that’s what they hope their record does.
Source: ABC 15