BASE Jumping At The Tombstone Challenge

BASE Jumping In The Tombstone Challenge

Publication Date: March 2001

On March 1, 2001 the International PRO BASE Circuit (IPBC) hosted the fifth annual "Tombstone Challenge" in Moab, Utah. Over 50 BASE jumpers attended the event and 18 jumped from the 390 foot cliff called Tombstone as they competed for over $1,000 in cash. BASE (Building, Antenna, Span, Earth) jumping is the sport of jumping from fixed objects using a parachute. It is one of the newest and hottest extreme sports to hit the X scene in the last eight years. Competitors use skill and guts to out-wit and out-match each other as they earn points for producing flawless openings of their parachutes and then try to hit the target.

The IPBC is the only group successfully organizing legal BASE jumping competitions in the world. The organizers are some of the world's best BASE jumpers, competitors, and leaders in United States BASE jumping. Organized BASE jumping and the competition concept is perfected site-by-site. The IPBC has an outstanding safety and track record. The purpose of the IPBC is to perpetuate the art of BASE jumping through legal competitions.

The IPBC started holding competitions in the early 90s and now has three competitions a year. The "Tombstone Challenge" kicks off the three event national circuit. Jumpers compete against each other as individuals and as teams in a year-long quest for points.

The next competition is in Twin Falls, Idaho off the 400 foot high Perrine Bridge over the Snake River Canyon on June 21. The circuit ends in West Virginia at "The Bridge Day Championships" off the 876 foot high New River Gorge Bridge. At Bridge Day part of scoring is perfecting aerial maneuvers. Scored like a pool diving contest, jumpers perform spectacular aerobatics as long as five seconds before opening their chutes.

Interest for the sport is growing from the public and private sector. The IPBC just finished organizing jumpers in two different events in Asia. An IPBC organizer choreographed 15 jumpers for a simultaneous jump during the New Year's celebration from the Petronas tower (the tallest building in the world). The IPBC also just finished organizing 53 jumpers, who made over 470 jumps from the KL tower - both events were in Malaysia. The events went well and plans are already underway for another event at the KL tower.

Thailand has also shown interest and the IPBC expects to organize jumpers from one of the many tall buildings in Bangkok by year's end. The events are slated for TV and will hit the Asian and European markets.

For more information on BASE jumping, check out their website at www.theipbc.com , or call Avery Badenhop (Event Coordinator) at (707)773-3950.