The World’s Fastest Skydivers (2022)

The International Speed Skydiving Association (ISSA) has updated its World Wide Eternal Ranking page, which now includes the results of the 2022 World Championships. The scores on this list only highlight a competitor’s personal best (P.B.) in competition.

The Top 15 Fastest Skydivers in the World (2022) – all over 500 kmh (310 mph)

To stay up to date on the discipline, check out the Speed Skydiving Facebook page.

Outside of Competitive Speed Skydiving

While there have been jumpers who have recorded much greater speeds than the forementioned list, these were special projects and stunts performed for the purpose of research and entertainment. These required helium balloons to carry the jumpers into the stratosphere – as high as 135,890 feet (41.42 km). Doing so allowed them to take advantage of an incredible thin atmosphere, becoming the first humans to break the sound barrier outside of a vehicle.

(2012) Felix Baumgartner – 1,357.64 km/h (843.6 mph)

(2014) Alan Eustace – 1,323 km/h (822 mph)

(1960) Joseph Kittinger – 988 km/h (614 mph)

Fly Smart. Train Hard.

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Photo by Samantha Schwann

Being competitors at heart, Niklas and Brianne do their best to improve on a daily basis. This applies not only to competitions, but also their business and life’s work – AXIS Flight School. AXIS has gone through an incredible online transformation, which could be called a “Cyber Grand Re-opening”. These changes have been taking place behind the scenes for over two years.

The AXIS website has always been packed with lots of useful tools and information. In order to make the site more user friendly and to keep up with the times more than a facelift was needed. In fact, we started over. Major improvements include a color coded menu system which is easy to navigate, condensed information on every page, and not to be overlooked – The AXIS Skydiving Repository. Here we developed a digital sorting system that categorizes all or our articles and reference materials for faster recall. Now users can search for categories such as solo skills, canopy, camera, and much more to find what you are looking for.

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In addition, AXIS Flight School now uses sig.ma, a platform on which you can keep track of accomplishments, IDs, licenses, merits, etc. in a digital form. This allows us to send merits to students who have demonstrated their proficiency to our AXIS Coaches™ and acknowledge their achievements. Available Merits are displayed at the top of each web page, and their colors correspond to the new menu system.

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Our online tools are still available to all for free. All AXIS dive pool images, Draw Generator, and ChronoPrism have all been updated with the new 2019 formations.

2017 USPA National Championships

uspa-nationals-logoThe 2017 USPA Nationals were held at Skydive Perris, CA. AXIS Flight School members Brianne Thompson and Niklas Daniel entered three separate events: VFS open, MFS open, and Speed.

In the 4-way VFS category there were 3 teams in open, and 4 in advanced. After completing close to 400 training jumps at Skydive Arizona, and spending about 30 hours in the Skyventure Arizona wind tunnel, the team finished 3rd with a competition average of 14.20.

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Left to right: Johnny Gunn, Seth Studer, Keith Fournier, Brianne Thompson, Niklas Daniel

VFS Competition draw, recreated using the AXIS draw generator:

VFS

(VFS team Arizona X-FORCE by David Wybenga)

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In the MFS category there were 6 teams in open, and 8 in advanced. This is the first time AXIS competed in MFS at the USPA nationals. Without having trained this year, the team walked away with a 12 point average and a 4th place finish.

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Left to right: Brianne Thompson, Keith Fournier (video), Niklas Daniel

MFS Competition draw, recreated using the AXIS draw generator:

MFS

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The speed category had its largest USA turn out ever, with 15 competitors on the roster. Though speed is not an official USPA event, it is a FAI recognized world event. Therefore the discipline is still considered a “test event” in the states, because past participation has been very low. However, this competition was a qualifier for the World Championships that will take place next year at Australia’s Gold Coast.

Brianne Thompson ended up collecting 3 records as the fastest female in several competitionUSPA_Speed_2nd_Mcategories: State (CA), Nationals (USA), and Continental (North America). Flying at 347.05km/h, approximately 216mph, in round 2. Nik’s best round was his first, with a speed of 447.32km/h (approximately 278mph).

Congratulations to all participants, and a big thank you to all our sponsors for their continued support!

 

CanPara Cover: Dec-Mar 2014!

I would like to thank Canpara (Canadian Skydiving Magazine) for utilizing one of my WVWR photographs for the Dec-Mar 2014 cover spot. It depicts the new 63-way Women’s Vertical World Record over Skydive Arizona.

Canpara Cover

90Percent Cover – January 2014!

I would like to thank 90Percent (Italian Skydiving Magazine) for utilizing one of my WVWR photographs for the January 2014 cover spot. It depicts the new 63-way Women’s Vertical World Record over Skydive Arizona.

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Skydive Radio Photo of the Week Show #198!

I would like to thank Dave at Skydive Radio for making my image below their pic of the week! Skydive Radio is the world’s leading internet radio show dedicated to the sport of skydiving.  Weekly episodes include commentary, feature interviews with industry insiders, listener-contributed photos, and e-mails from an audience that spans the globe.

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2013 Women’s Vertical World Record 63-Way

“A group of 63 women fell to Earth and set a new world record Saturday. The skydivers from around the world descended to Eloy, Ariz., from 18,000 feet in the air, setting a new world record for the most amount of women flying headfirst in a formation…” -Daily News

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Here are some of my selects (Prints are available for purchase by contacting me at Info@NiklasDaniel.com)

IMG_1688 IMG_1711 IMG_1716 IMG_1749 IMG_1835 IMG_2221 IMG_2200 IMG_2155 IMG_2138 IMG_1847 IMG_3043 IMG_3036 IMG_2993 IMG_2496 IMG_2449 IMG_3850 IMG_3846 IMG_3610 IMG_3392 IMG_3321 IMG_4761 IMG_4515 IMG_4438 IMG_4094 IMG_4056 IMG_5041 IMG_5038 IMG_5025 IMG_4976 IMG_4972

World Record in the Media and other Publications:

 ABC News

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Daily Mail – Daily MotioniLoveSkydiving.org – Blue Skies Mag

And here is a great video edit by Emma Merritt

Parachutist Center Fold – December 2013 Issue 650

I would like to thank USPA Parachutist for utilizing one of my Women’s Vertical World Record Camp photographs for the December Center Fold spot. It depicts jumpers converging on the base over Skydive Arizona.

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Skydive Radio Photo of the Week Show #197!

I would like to thank Dave at Skydive Radio for making my image below their pic of the week! Skydive Radio is the world’s leading internet radio show dedicated to the sport of skydiving.  Weekly episodes include commentary, feature interviews with industry insiders, listener-contributed photos, and e-mails from an audience that spans the globe.

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