Parachutists set record after jumper death
Parachutists from 17 countries set a new free diving record on Sunday Apr 9 in Panama with 20 participants, organizers of the IV “Pepe’s Island Boogie Panama” reported to Acan-Efe .
Toby Shacalo told Acan-Efe that the record was reached “around 10:30 am
The other organizer, Rafa Zevallos, confirmed that the goal had been achieved, surpassing the 16 participants who in 2016 launched together, again on Isla Contadora, in the Las Perlas archipelago.
US judges were charged with recording jumps and the new national record, Acan-Efe said.
The event was overshadowed by the death of Mexican Jose Rubalcaba on Saturday, when he hit the ground hard after falling, despite having his parachute open, according to his jumping colleagues.
The rest of the participating Mexicans made a jump in homage to their compatriot and continued the competition, “as is the tradition,” according to Zevallos.
The tournament was attended by world figures such as Fernando Gallegos of Peru, which has more than 400 training jumps; Scott Callantirle and Travis Mickle, from the United States, who make jumps in the “Flying Squirrel” suit. For the test, paratroopers from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Spain, the United States, Hungary, England, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, South Africa, Switzerland, Venezuela and Panama were present. All had to have performed at least 300 jumps.
