heltzer

Hey guys! First, Tom Stanton over at http://www.ts-skyboards.com/ has started a new program of providing anyone who wants to get into skysurfing a FREE beginner skyboard if they purchase an intermediate skyboard. Please get good coaching before strapping the beginner on. I'm not too familiar with the East coast, but here on the West coast there are a lot of great instructors: Scott Smith, Tanya Garcia-O'Brien, Sean MacCormack (all can be reached at Perris), Rob Harris (yes, there is a NEW Rob Harris who teaches down at Skydive San Diego), and I teach over at Elsinore. I think Douva controls everything between the two coasts ([email protected]). As for what it takes to get started, I don't think any instructor would recommend having anything less than 100 jumps. By that time, you should have a controlled stand and sit, and be able to make aggressively controlled turns on your belly. Belly flying is important because that where the standard recovery position is, and--for beginner skyboards--deployment. Enjoy the summer sun! [email protected]

Mike, You were there when I got started in this crazy sport 15 years ago. And in that time, I can't think of a day I bumped into you---um, on the ground--when I didn't learn something that made my experience in the sport richer. Thank you for being a great teacher...and for smacking sense into those who desperately needed it. You mentioned legends like Jerry and Kevin. To my generation, my friend, you are in that same category. And damn if I still don't owe you a case of beer. No way I'm letting something like a temporary retirement get me off the hook for that! Blue Skies Forever!!! Lawrence Heltzer The attached photo (taken by Kiesel what's his name) is from the Elsinore Big-Way back in November of 2003. You, the Big Orange, are easy to spot. I'm the skysurfer on the right...except that I don't have a skyboard and I'm wearing neon yellow (green? - shit, I'm color blind) w/ blue arms & legs.

I swear I saw you jumping with an umbrella!

Thanks!

I am trying to reach Sean McCormack. If anyone can help out, please let me know. It's important. Thanks! Lawrence Heltzer [email protected]

Go get'em, Pokey!

It's truly amazing what you can accomplish with Photoshop. Because I am a genius, I noticed immediately your floating head and figured we were being duped. Damned if I'm still jealous!

Textbook. I hope you don't mind if I show that to my students. BTW, had you gotten hurt (just a handful of days before Nationals), I would have had to kill you. The latest... I know you spoke to Rob and know about James. Up until today, I had counted on at least 5 of us. But with James' ear infection and Jay (Florida) still recovering from the hurricanes (???) we just can't seem to get a break. I mean, here we fought USPA for life and we worked our tails off to add two additional competitiors...and KABOOM. Interesting note: Scott Smith knew of at least 4 competitors. I'm trying to find out which 4. Also, I ran into Mary Tortomasi (1998 women's silver medalist) and she expressed interest. And then there is Tanya (the best there ever was) who also expressed interest. So, we are either at the end or at a stalled rebound. Look forward to seeing you Wednesday! (FYI, our first competitor meeting will be at sunset/6pm Wednesday). Blue Skies Forever!!! Lawrence

You spoke and USPA listened! The USPA Board of Directors has decided to keep skysurfing as an event at the US Nationals. As long as at least 4 competitors show up every other year, the event will go on. That, of course, puts the onus on all of us—especially the current competitors—to get all the other skysurfers out there to compete. In fact, that new USPA rule will apply universally to ALL EVENTS. I want to thank every one of you for your support! Based on what my National Director told me, it was the biggest write-in campaign in his 18 years as a Board Member! And some of the letters I read were truly amazing; very positive and constructive…including some that were full of great ideas on what USPA could do to reverse the slide in our membership. Again, thank you all and… Blue Skies Forever!!! Lawrence

Here's another letter I've been asked to post: ______________________________ Dear USPA, I am writing to express my concern regarding the possible future of skysurfing competition as relating to the USPA. I have been a skydiver for seven years, a videographer for six, an instructor for the past four, and a competitor in skysurfing at the 2004 Nationals in Perris Valley. My points relating to this subject are brief, but I believe very valid: 1) Skysurfing is an international sport. As members of the international community, and given the size of our skydiving population, I believe that it would be a humiliation for the United States and the USPA to tell the IPC that we will not be sending a skysurfing team to a world competition because there is “not enough interest”. 2) Everyday that I take people up for their first jumps, I am asked a question, “Have you ever done that board thing???” Although the general public does not know the specifics relating to skysurfing, it is the most extreme of the extreme to these people, and is one of only a handful of images that they have about skydiving. It is a draw for our sport and for the USPA, and I believe not only should it not be allowed to fade away, or be treated as the red-headed stepchild, but it should be acknowledged and used as the marketing tool that it has been and can be. 3) The inclusion of skysurfing at the nationals is a minimal burden on USPA, and the cost of its inclusion is negligible, if anything at all. The rules are already in place, and require only minor review and revision. It is the host dropzone that coordinates the competition schedule, and to my knowledge, no dropzone has submitted any complaint regarding skysurfing’s participation at nationals. I ask that you please consider these things when making any decisions regarding the future of skysurfing. Thank you, Steve Sanderson D-24339 Skysurfing Videographer/Competitor AFF/Tandem Instructor/Videographer

Travis, You should get a job in development in Hollywood. That's brilliant. Skydiving culture is truly untapped material. And it has every element of great story line. Lawrence

I want to thank all of you for your support in helping to keep skysurfing as an event at the US Nationals. The letters I've receieved have been overwhelming and encouraging. Below is a copy of one letter that I wanted to share with you. It's from Tom Sanders, whose talents in cinemaphotography and stunt coordination are probably responsible for getting more people into our sport than any other individual. [It is posted here with Tom's permission.] ________________________________ Dear USPA Board of Directors; I would like to express my opposition to eliminating skysurfing at the US Nationals. I doubt that there has been anything since the movie Point Break that has done more for new membership in USPA than skysurfing. Instead of eliminating skysurfing it would be better to try and get the US Nationals televised if only on a small cable network like FUEL to help turn around the two year drop in membership. Of all the events that the non-skydiving public can relate to and be inspired by it would be skysurfing. To eliminate skysurfing is just going to support the decline in interest in skydiving. I find it amazing that ABC Wide World of Sports covered the US Nationals over 20 years ago and nothing anywhere close has happened since. Instead of hiring outside marketing firms I think USPA would be better served utilizing the talents and skills of those in the sport. Fund some film projects for top of the line cameramen to get on TV. Help finance the documentary of world records on a professional level so we can get the positive exposure skydiving deserves. Get skysurfing at the Nationals on TV, not eliminate it! Aloha, Tom Sanders

Ron, One of the critical missions USPA is now fighting is getting our membership back up. It has dropped 10% in the last year and USPA has hired a professional marketing firm to help stop the hemoraging. The only way to do that is with more positive exposure of our sport to the public. Eliminating skysurf or freestyle will not help. BTW, having those disciplines in Nationals costs the dz nothing. The entry fees cover the lifts, medals, judges and swag bags. As for skysurfing as a marketing tool, I and several of my peers have done several commercial shoots (print ads and filmed) that have inspired people to try skydiving. Almost every weekend at my dz I meet someone who said they were inspired by skysurfing they saw on tv or in a magazine and it was one of the reasons they decided to try skydiving. Now I can't disagree with you on the the number of skysurfing/freestyle/S&A competitors at Nationals. It's pathetic. And I'm trying to do what I can to turn that around. But I ask you, looking at the big picture and how USPA is trying to increase membership, how will eliminating these events from Nationals help our sport? Lawrence

Thank you!!! Based on what my National and Regional Directors have told me, they do not hear from their constituents nearly enough on almost any topic. So, anyone sending any correwspondence to their represenative will have a significany impact. They want to hear from you! That's that they're there for. MORE IMPORTANTLY --> Please send a copy to [email protected], ATTN Board of Directors in the Subject. That way EVERY Board member will recieve a copy at this weekend's board meeting. Blue Skies!!! Lawrence

Cresler, Looking at the results of last year's world championships, Russia and France are fielding the best teams, so that would be a good place to look for skysurf training near you. If you want to plan a trip to the USA, both Perris Valley Skydiving and Skydive Elsinore, my home dropzone, offer skysurf training. But the most important piece of advice was already mentioned: when starting out, find the dropzone with the best, safest training. You'll need at least a hundred or more jumps before you can even do your first skysurf. So, enjoy the training...and every single jump. Learn as much as you can. There is no hurry. And whenever you are ready to skysurf, let us know. Lawrence