Jan 15, 2003, 5:07 PM
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Re: [sweeney] who were the first 8-way world champs
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Mirror Image? That would have been in 1977 I think. There was a world cup in South Africa in 1976, and the US was represented by 8-way and 4-way teams that were selected at a meet that wasn't the US Nationals, as the nationals used the older rules. It may have been that there wasn't an 8-way at the nationals, only 4-way (hogflop) and 10-way speed. Someone can correct me on that. Anyway, all of that just leads to the notion that the 1977 world meet was the first (non-world cup) world meet with more-or-less current 8-way and 4-way rules (although judging was ground-based video.)
Jan 16, 2003, 10:21 AM
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Re: [darkwing] who were the first 8-way world champs
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I was wondering who was on the "Mirror Image" team. I can recall B.J. Worth, Jerry Bird, Hod (Gary) Sanders. I know Harry O'connor used to jump with them sometimes. I still jump with Hod and he fills me in on what it was really like in the old days. Hod mentioned jumping into the Olympics with B.J. and Harry O'connor to form some rings along with some other Mirror Image team-mates. I'm sure there are others on here who know more about this stuff than I do. Steve1
Jan 16, 2003, 12:27 PM
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Re: [steve1] who were the first 8-way world champs
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I was wondering who was on the "Mirror Image" team. I can recall B.J. Worth, Jerry Bird, Hod (Gary) Sanders. I know Harry O'connor used to jump with them sometimes. I still jump with Hod and he fills me in on what it was really like in the old days. Hod mentioned jumping into the Olympics with B.J. and Harry O'connor to form some rings along with some other Mirror Image team-mates. I'm sure there are others on here who know more about this stuff than I do. Steve1
I believe Joe Morgan was on Mirror Image. He organizes RW at Deland now; he got back in the sport about 4 or 5 years ago after a long layoff.
I know Jim Captain was also on the team. I had the great fortune to have Jim as my instructor/mentor through my student progression; also was lucky to have him along on some other memorable jumps, including my beer tracking dive.
Jan 17, 2003, 4:12 AM
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Re: [murrays] who were the first 8-way world champs
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I'm virtually certain that neither O'Connor, Morgon, nor Ponce were on Mirror Image that early. I remember Mike Gennis, Hod Sanders, Steve Mayes, Jim Captain, Gary Carter (original Flite Suite owner I think), BJ, Bird...
Jan 17, 2003, 6:32 AM
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Re: [darkwing] who were the first 8-way world champs
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Was Scott Meek on Mirror Image, or on an earlier team? I know he was from around them sometime.
I'm surprised no one has hauled out their old Parachutists to research this yet. I used to have them all and finally got rid of them about 10 years ago; I'm beginning to regret it.
Jan 17, 2003, 6:55 AM
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Re: [darkwing] who were the first 8-way world champs
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I'm virtually certain that neither O'Connor, Morgon, nor Ponce were on Mirror Image that early. I remember Mike Gennis, Hod Sanders, Steve Mayes, Jim Captain, Gary Carter (original Flite Suite owner I think), BJ, Bird... ...................................................................... I don't think Harry Oconnor was on Mirror Image, but he jumped with Harry and B.J. a lot later on. Hod was on the Navy four way team after Mirror Image and he used to jump with Harry a lot there. I know he was really bummed out by his death. Steve1
Jan 17, 2003, 9:12 AM
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Re: [sweeney] who were the first 8-way world champs
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I'm seeing a lot of names getting tossed out and maybe before history gets any further rewritten you should ask BJ or Jim Captain.
Mirror Image lasted several years and the membership evolved.
In 1974 BJ got the idea while jumping in Europe to make a movie and turn the world on to relative work (relative work used to mean freedom and expression and exploration, not the pale imitation of a competitive format that it has become today).
In 1975 we made a bunch of jumps at the Gulch and took movies, mostly Rande Deluca and Ray Cottingham.
It was a very exciting time, so exciting in fact that every weekend for several months I drove from Los Angeles to the Gulch and back, a 1,000 mile round trip.
We showed the movies at the 75 nationals, the world meet in Warendorf, Germany and even drove down to Yugoslavia, jumped with the Russians and showed the movies to the whole Eastern bloc at the meet in Portoroz.
In 1976 BJ went off and convinced the world meet guys to do the 4 and 8 way formats that are still used today.
He then came to Pope Valley to recruit some USFET people to go compete. It's the main thing I have ever disagreed with BJ about.
(If you want some insight into BJ notice (that all his happenings are actually vast (international gatherings.
He called a meeting at Rande Deluca's house. He, Jim Captain, Matt Farmer and I were to be the center four of an 8 way team.
For many, many, many reasons Matt and I thought that competition was a very bad idea.
Matt went off into life in search of truth. I stayed at Pope Valley and developed Skydance.
Skydance meant base the flying on dance patterns and synchronized swimming patterns, all flying, no hanging on, and put some explicit effort into the mood components of organized dives, that is, organize for the emotions, hot dives, playful dives, sunset dives, and so on.
BJ and Captain went on to form Mirror Image.
I remember names like Dave Sheldon, Roger Hull, Curt Curtis, Hod, Crater, BT, Mike Gennis, but you should really ask someone who was on the team.
Jan 17, 2003, 10:13 AM
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Re: [skr] who were the first 8-way world champs
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SkR, I used to jump with B.J. and his sister Sam here in Montana when they were going to college. I met his parents once. I think they were from Oklahoma. I thought B.J. went to Casa Grande in about 75 and I haven't seen him since. I know his daughter made her first tandem with Hod a few years back. B.J. doesn't jump much in Montana anymore. I think he plans on organizing some 100 way sequentials this winter in Florida and has some type of boogie scheduled in Thailand also. I know Hod plans to attend both. It would be fun to talk to him again. I haven't seen him in over 25 years. Steve1
Jan 17, 2003, 3:03 PM
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Re: [steve1] who were the first 8-way world champs
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> I know Hod plans to attend both.
Please say hi to him for me - and maybe ask him who was on that first Mirror Image and tell us.
I was there at Pope Valley while they were forming, but I was disgruntled that they were going to waste all that energy doing assembly line points when we could be exploring further.
It was a painful fork in the road for me, these USFET guys were my best friends at the time, and I really wanted to jump with them some more, but the competition energy trap was too high a price.
Skydance meant base the flying on dance patterns and synchronized swimming patterns, all flying, no hanging on, and put some explicit effort into the mood components of organized dives, that is, organize for the emotions, hot dives, playful dives, sunset dives, and so on.
Skr
Skratch,
This is totally off topic but inspired by your skydance comments.
Do you feel that freeflying is closer to your concepts for Skydance?
I really don't know anything about freeflying as I'm re-inserting myself into jumping after nearly ten years of very few jumps but the videos that I watch I find very exciting...partly because of the three dimensionality and partly because of the improvisation that I think I see and partly because it seems to me that some dives are done purely for the visuals or the joy of just flying.
Just thought I'd toss that out and see what you think.
Jan 18, 2003, 9:08 AM
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Re: [skr] who were the first 8-way world champs
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skr, Hod and Tina own a DZ here in Montana (at Stevensville). If you get a chance you ought to come up. I know he'd love jumping with you again. Hod and I started jumping the same winter in Missoula, and B.J. was one of our instructors. Hod named his son B.J. and he jumps with us also. It will probably be a few months before I see Hod again, since I'm now in Eastern Montana, but I'll ask him who was on the original Mirror Image team and try to post it here. Steve1
Jan 19, 2003, 10:20 AM
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Re: [steve1] who were the first 8-way world champs
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Mirror Image - 1979 Craig Fronk, Mike Gennis, B.J. Worth, Garry Carter, Marty Martin, Mike Eakins, Hod Sanders, Jim Captain, Steve Mayes, alternate, and Jerry Bird, alternate
Not the first world championship, but before that was the first world cup of what would be considered modern sequential 8-way in 1976, held in South Africa. The US 8-way team was Cleareye Express, from Seattle. I'm pretty sure they won. I was there. I have a magazine which has photos of all the teams. The members were: Craig Fronk, Tim Henneghan, J. Collen, S. Reeder, B. Lockwood, Tom Classon, Jim langlow, S. Jensen, and Rocky Kenoyer.
Jun 16, 2003, 9:39 AM
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Re: [steve1] who were the first 8-way world champs
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Steve, In 1977, Mirror Image won the 8-way world Championships in Gatton, Australia. The team members were BJ Worth, Jim Captain, Hod Sanders, Dave Sheldon, Curt Curtis, Mike Gennis, Gary Carter and Roger Hull. Bob Taylor was an alternate and Randy Deluca was the dive photographer (16mm in those days!). We were tied with the Germans after nine rounds, then won in the 10th round when they came apart in mid-sequence. Bill Ottley was the USPA team manager that year. Roger
Jun 16, 2003, 4:44 PM
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Re: [wmw999] who were the first 8-way world champs
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Was Scott Meek on Mirror Image, or on an earlier team? I know he was from around them sometime. Scott Meek used to jump on Visions, which later became the Coors team when they got a sponsorship. About 10 years ago I saw him on some cable channel story where he was coaching the British National Champion team for the world meet. That was an awesome show too, the 8 way footage was breathtaking.
Jun 26, 2003, 1:30 PM
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Re: [tbrown] who were the first 8-way world champs
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Scott Meek was not on Mirror Image during 1977, the team's first year under that name and the year of the World Championships in Australia. He may have been at some later time. There were several people from that era that spent time coaching the Norwegian, British, Spanish and Dutch national teams. Roger
Jun 26, 2003, 10:59 PM
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Re: [darkwing] first 8-way world cup champs
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Not the first world championship, but before that was the first world cup of what would be considered modern sequential 8-way in 1976, held in South Africa. The US 8-way team was Cleareye Express, from Seattle.
Aug 26, 2003, 9:01 PM
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Re: [rhull] who were the first 8-way world champs
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Steve, In 1977, Mirror Image won the 8-way world Championships in Gatton, Australia. The team members were BJ Worth, Jim Captain, Hod Sanders, Dave Sheldon, Curt Curtis, Mike Gennis, Gary Carter and Roger Hull. Bob Taylor was an alternate and Randy Deluca was the dive photographer (16mm in those days!). We were tied with the Germans after nine rounds, then won in the 10th round when they came apart in mid-sequence. Bill Ottley was the USPA team manager that year. Roger
A small correction here. Dave Sheldon was injured during the world meet and Mike Gennis, an alternate, took Dave's Slot. I'm surprised Roger can't remember his team members. But then again, I understand the age thing.
Sep 2, 2003, 10:48 AM
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Re: [rhull] who were the first 8-way world champs
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Steve, In 1977, Mirror Image won the 8-way world Championships in Gatton, Australia. The team members were BJ Worth, Jim Captain, Hod Sanders, Dave Sheldon, Curt Curtis, Mike Gennis, Gary Carter and Roger Hull. Bob Taylor was an alternate and Randy Deluca was the dive photographer (16mm in those days!). We were tied with the Germans after nine rounds, then won in the 10th round when they came apart in mid-sequence. Bill Ottley was the USPA team manager that year. Roger
Roger, Hod was saying that when you were a member of Mirror Image, that you were also a Navy fighter pilot. He had lot's of kind words to say about you. Are you still flying jets?........Steve1
May 7, 2004, 5:15 AM
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Re: [skr] who were the first 8-way world champs
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Hi all, nice to meet you !
The first time I met Jim Captain and Jerry Bird was at "La Ferté-Gaucher" (Paris) in August 1974. The US team won the "10 way Speed Star RW Cup".The second, not so far, was the french team (Icarius). I don't remember if the name of the US team was already "Mirror Image".
The "1st World Championship in Relative Work" took place in Warendorf (Germany) in September 1975 (I was in the 10 way swiss team).
May 9, 2004, 1:26 AM
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Re: [Discus] who were the first 8-way world champs
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Hi all, nice to meet you !
The first time I met Jim Captain and Jerry Bird was at "La Ferté-Gaucher" (Paris) in August 1974. The US team won the "10 way Speed Star RW Cup".The second, not so far, was the french team (Icarius). I don't remember if the name of the US team was already "Mirror Image".
The "1st World Championship in Relative Work" took place in Warendorf (Germany) in September 1975 (I was in the 10 way swiss team).
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