3rd Dubai International Parachuting Championship & Gulf Cup 2011 - Daily Diary - 8th December

Day 8 - A day of Standbys, Changes and Frustration

The day started well with a round of Canopy Piloting Accuracy, at the beginning of the round there were very low winds which gradually increasing as the morning went on.  We continued with Classic Accuracy, but did not complete the Team Events.  In the afternoon there were several standbyes for Canopy Piloting Distance, but in the end it was called for the day, having spent several hours waiting, during which time the UAE Airforce practiced their air show, in preparation for the closing ceremony tomorrow.  Canopy Formations completed their 8th round in all events.  Congratulations to the medal winners.  Results available now in PDF form on:

Winners of the Open 4-Way competition - France - photo courtesy of Bruno Brokken,skydivedubai.

The organisation wanted to make a partial Prize Giving Ceremony to those events which were completed, but in the end had to call it off, as the Crown Prince had stated he wanted personally to present the medals when he attended the Ceremony at the end of the Championships and Gulf Cup.  During the day he had requested to jump on the Tandem organised for a British skydiver, Jamie Fowler, who had been seriously injured 24 years ago on a Royal Marinces Demonstration Jump, but was here with his mother (one of the Canopy Piloting judges) as a guest of the Meet Director.  The sport is very fortunate to have such an enthusiastic and generous patron.

Tomorrow it has been decided to run the Canopy Piloting Freestyle Event first thing and if time and weather permits the final round of Distance.  Also Accuracy needed to complete their semi-final and final rounds in the Female Team and both Individual events.

I apologise for the lateness of this report, but I have had problems with internet connections and judging duties.