In the high-stakes world of professional skydiving, “swooping” is an equally popular and dangerous discipline, and among the sport’s elite at it is 40-year-old Jeff Provenzano, who makes the high-speed style of landing look easy. “It’s like driving a Ferrari as a parachute,” he says.
Sometimes called canopy piloting, “swooping” can encompass different styles of jumps, but typically involves a low-altitude dive with a fast landing. Lighter parachutes allow the aerial athletes to be more agile, reaching speeds up to 90 mph.
With the help of pioneers like Provenzano, “swooping” has grown in popularity, because it’s one of the few spectator-friendly aspects of pro skydiving, and has evolved into its own competitive sport (involving targets and gates). Skydivers generally have at least 10,00 jumps under their belt before they even attempt such a risky feat, and competing usually requires at least two years of specified training. Below, watch Provenzano show off his swooping skills by skimming a friend’s pool. To learn more about him, click here.
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