Chicks certainly rocked this year at Skydive Elsinore in California during its 19th annual Chicks Rock Boogie. The mild Southern California fall weather did not disappoint, and mild temps allowed jumpers to make as many skydives as they wanted. Although men also attend Chicks Rock, the boogie focuses on female empowerment and is the place to find amazing female load organizers. Wingsuit organizers Stephanie Baptiste and Marie Clark kept the birds flying, while Claudia Blank, Angela Cascino, Brooke Frame and Veronica Giraldo kept the freeflyers and angle flyers busy. Maxine Tate of Flight-1 provided canopy coaching and also helped new jumpers work on their tracking skills. Formation skydiving load organizers Tamara Bartlett (fresh from winning gold in 4-way intermediate FS at the USPA Nationals) and Mary SantAngelo kept the belly jumpers busy. Danielle Lakata Barlow put together her famous patch jumps, where skydivers can earn patches designed by Barlow for all sorts of fun achievements (such as passing a Barbie). Darryld Light, the sole male organizer, helped out in various ways when needed. Brian Binder, Dean Chisholm and David Sands provided photos and videos for the participants, both in the air and on the ground.
Evening entertainment included beer pong, a live band, night swoops, a barbecue dinner and a theme party. (This year’s theme was Cartoon Carnival.) During the party, sponsor Bonehead Helmets gave away its newest helmet, the Dynamic; and Larsen & Brusgaard gave away an Ares II altimeter. Onsite vendors Advanced Aerospace Designs, Freefall Data Systems, Innovative Parachute Technologies, Liquid Sky Sports, Performance Designs, Rig Sleeve, Rigging Innovations, Sound Sentri and Square One generously donated products for the boogie, as did vendors Aerodyne Research, Bev Suits, Cookie Helmets and Velocity Sports equipment, who could not attend.
Skydive Elsinore encourages jumpers to come to Chicks Rock in 2020 for its epic blowout party for the 20th anniversary of the event.
Mary SantAngelo | D-9944
Perris, California