Windy City to Host Hundreds of Skydivers at 2007 U.S. Parachute Association National Skydiving Championships – September 8-21: Country’s Ultimate Action Sport Celebrates 50 Years of Competition

FREDERICKSBURG, VA – July 14, 2006 – Nearly 1,000 of the nation’s finest, fastest and most extreme aerial athletes will take the plunge at the 2007 United States Parachute Association (USPA) National Skydiving Championships – expected to be the largest national competition to date.

This is a historic year for USPA as skydiving celebrates 50 years of national competition. Scheduled for September 8-21, 2007 at Skydive Chicago, the National Skydiving Championships are considered one of the most thrilling and visually exciting aerial displays in the nation.

Sports fans will be psyched to see the clear blue skies of Ottawa, Illinois filled with hundreds of colorful parachutes as the nation’s top-rated men and women go for the gold and simultaneously compete in seven challenging skydiving disciplines: Formation Skydiving, Artistic Events (Skysurfing, Freeflying and Freestyle), Freefall Style and Accuracy Landing (“Classics”), Canopy Formation, Canopy Piloting (“Swooping”) and Vertical Relative Work.

Spectators are invited to catch the high-flying action on large video monitors, view thousands of dramatic landings and discover the energy and excitement of drop zone culture at its coolest. Between jumps, they can also meet the pros and watch these amazing competitors train on the ground.

Some events will be held concurrently during two intense weeks of nonstop competition; sunrise to sunset each day. Event schedule is subject to change based on weather/flying conditions.

Canopy piloting winners will represent the U.S. at the World Cups this November in Australia; the best of the 4-way formation and artistic events will serve on U.S. Teams next August in France.

About USPA:
USPA is 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. Each year, USPA’s 31,000 members and hundreds of thousands of first-time jump students make approximately three million jumps in the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration recognizes and supports USPA's successful leadership role in the self-regulation of skydiving.

Event schedule/more information: 1-800-371-USPA, www.uspa.org.

For digital photos, B-roll, names of local competitors from your area and to coordinate media coverage of the 2007 USPA National Skydiving Championships, please contact Robert Arends (robert@jwalcher.com, 619-295-7140).
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