–The Women’s Skydiving Network, an international network of more than 2,600 female skydivers, announces today the launch of WSN Pro, an all-female skydiving demonstration team led by the most accomplished professional skydivers in the world.
The WSN Pro demonstration team will make their debut by performing at the opening ceremony of the 2019 FAI World Cup of Formation Skydiving and Artistic Events, held Oct. 7-12 at Skydive Arizona, located between Tucson and Phoenix. Six women from WSN Pro will jumpstart the festivities with a thrilling, artistic aerial parachute experience complete with dramatic displays of brightly colored smoke and five large, custom-designed, event-inspired flags.
Having spent most of their lives in service of skydiving, highly accomplished professional skydivers Amy Chmelecki and Melanie Curtis co-founded the WSN Pro demonstration team. All WSN Pro athletes hold the United States Parachute Association (USPA) PRO Rating, which illustrates skydivers’ sophisticated skillsets including safely flying and landing in challenging areas and near spectators.
“Skydiving isn’t just falling from a plane and opening a parachute, and it isn’t just an adrenaline rush,” said Chmelecki, sole female on the Red Bull Air Force Team and holder of 17 Guinness World Records titles, 10 National titles and four World Championship titles. “Skydiving is a beautiful, yet challenging sport made to look effortless by the professionals skilled in precision and diverse diving disciplines. But there is one thing missing – more women.”
Empowering women is the driving force behind the creation of WSN Pro. Increasing the number of female skydivers is also a priority. The USPA reports there are 35,000 active U.S. skydivers, but only 13% are females. There is a need for more women instructors, role models and mentors. WSN Pro hopes to inspire that growth.
“We are beyond thrilled to launch the WSN Pro demonstration team,” adds Chmelecki. “This is our opportunity to take the skills we’ve developed in competition and share them with a wider audience. We want women around the world to see that the sky’s the limit in what women can accomplish!”
WSN Pro currently consists of nine highly skilled professional PRO Rated female skydivers who will perform at large-scale events throughout the United States on an ongoing basis. The all-female team will develop a variety of aerial demonstrations that align with organizers’ missions while entertaining and exciting audiences with precision and creativity.
To honor the 100-year anniversary of the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution which gave women the right to vote, the WSN Pro demonstration team will also tour the country in 2020 completing a series of monumental jumps in the name of women’s empowerment and gender equality. The jumps will culminate in a 100-woman Vertical World Record attempt called Project 19. The project is fully sponsored by the Women’s Skydiving Network.
For more information about the Women’s Skydiving Network, the WSN Pro demonstration team or Project 19, please visit www.womeninskydiving.org.
