Somers Resident Wins International Skydiving Medal

ELLINGTON, CT — "Flatspin," a skydiving team based out of Connecticut Parachutists Inc. in Ellington, won the silver medal in the acrobatic flying event at the 2nd Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Wingsuit Flying World Cup last week at Skydive Fyrosity in Overton, NV.

As members of the U.S. Parachute Team, the three competed against the best wingsuit flyers from around the world.

Flatspin includes Sarah Chamberlain, 23, of Simsbury; Jeff Harrigan, 28, of Coventry; and Mark Krasinski, 54, of Somers.

In wingsuit skydiving, jumpers wear technologically advanced suits that are specially designed to increase their horizontal glide across the ground, allowing them to soar like birds through the sky at horizontal speeds approaching 200 mph. The acrobatic flying event includes teams of three skydivers — two performers and a camera flyer — playing a game of aerial tag while gliding across the sky.

Founded in 1946, the United States Parachute Association is a non-profit association dedicated to the promotion of safe skydiving nationwide, establishing strict safety standards, training policies and programs at more than 240 USPA-affiliated skydiving schools and centers throughout the United States. Each year, USPA’s 39,000-plus members and hundreds of thousands of first-timers make nearly four million jumps in the U.S. USPA represents skydivers before all levels of government, the public and the aviation industry and sanctions national skydiving competitions and records.

Photo courtesy Skydive Fyrosity