Since 1997, the USPA Board of Directors has awarded the Gold Medal for Meritorious Service to “outstanding USPA members who,
In one particularly memorable shot, Jennings captures teammate Rob Harris exiting for a skysurfing training jump.by their efforts over a period of years, have made significant contributions to the skydiving community.” At its 2024 summer meeting, the board selected Joe Jennings, D-13033, as the latest recipient of the prestigious award. What began with Jennings’ first static-line jump in 1984 has grown over the decades to a truly impressive legacy of camera work and competitive domination.
Jennings is perhaps most well-known for his work in pioneering the discipline of skysurfing, filming his partner Rob Harris while winning multiple world championships in the 1990s. In 1995, skysurfing was included in the first-ever ESPN Extreme Games (now called the X Games), putting skydiving in a spotlight it had previously never reached. Jennings and Harris would win gold medals in the event, while Jennings also received an Emmy for his outstanding camera work.
Over the years, Jennings has flown camera for multiple feature films (such as “Charlie’s Angels,” “XXX” and “Baywatch”), many more TV series (including “Dateline NBC,” “MacGyver” and “Top Gear USA”) and more than 40 memorable TV commercials (notably one for NVIDA, which featured an entire living room in freefall). His skydiving film “Good Stuff” inspired new and experienced jumpers alike; it’s difficult to find a jumper who hasn’t seen the then-members of Arizona Airspeed navigating a junk car through the sky. And while his skydiving achievements are unquestionably impressive, his work outside of the sport has been equally inspiring, as he has spent considerable time as a board member and fundraiser for an orphanage in Haiti.
For many who would otherwise never consider the sport, Jennings’ work was their first impression of skydiving, and for many more aspiring camera flyers, Jennings is an inspiring and exceptional example of what can be achieved with the right training, gear, passion and creativity. For many, just enjoying the sport of skydiving is enough, but Jennings has worked hard for decades in order to make it better, reaching millions of people worldwide.
Today, Jennings lives in southern California where he continues to be active in the sport. On December 16, USPA Western Regional Director Joshua Hall presented Jennings with his medal. His award’s inscription reads, “For being one of the most innovative skydivers to ever wear a camera, from his winning performance at the first X Games to filming cars and living rooms falling from the sky.”
A car full of jumpers exits over the Arizona desert for the film “Good Stuff,” led by Jennings flying the camera.