High-flying 'Beans' score shining medals

Saturday 01 September 2018

A team of high-flying islanders have scored two golds and two silver medals, shooting them to the top of a UK-wide skydiving competition.

The 'Jersey Beans' have won UK Skydiving League with a significant margin on their runner-ups in what was their first year competing.

Claire Allen, Liam Hardman, Hedi Green and Michael Stocks will receive a winning trophy at the British Parachute Association (BPA) annual event in January.

After striking Gold in Dunkeswell and Langar, and Silver in Cark, the Jersey Beans battled their way to win another Silver medal in the UK National Skydiving Championships last weekend. They were competing against 13 other teams at Hibladstow, Lincolnshire. The UK Skydiving Nationals is one of the biggest four-way competitions in the world with over 40 teams across four different categories. The Jersey Beans were competing in the Rookie one as this year was their first one in the competitive circuit.

All teams had to complete eight rounds of jumping, with each round consisting of three different formations to be executed as many times as possible within 35 seconds of exiting the plane. The judges then score each round of competition from the video captured by the team’s camera flyer, who is an integral part of the team.

Jersey Beans in Hibaldstow from Bailiwick Express on Vimeo.

Video: The Jersey Beans had to complete eight rounds of jumping in Hibaldstow.

The Jersey Beans - the island's first four-way skydiving team - started strong, but competition was fierce and after three rounds of jumping they were lying in sixth place. Luckily, they performed one of their best rounds ever - and the second highest scoring round of the competition - in the fourth round. This sent them flying up to second place, a spot they kept until the final round to bring home the Silver medal.

The team got together just over a year ago after meeting at the Trinity Arms. Hedi Green told Express: "All of us dreamed to be on a team and we have all been skydiving for years. It was actually someone who is not on the team today who suggested we create one. But we had to do it properly and really commit to it. It is a big investment of both your time and finances. When the four of us started talking, we could see we were all singing off the same song sheet so we decided to do it and we committed to it for two years."

Pictured:  The Jersey Beans - Liam Hardman, Michael Stocks, Claire Allen, Hedi Green, sans cameraman Luke Gale.

While it is not possible for the team to train in Jersey due to the type of aircraft required, they have been training in France, Portugal, the UK and as far as California.

Their UK coach, Debbie Lamsley, who has competed at the highest level of skydiving for several years, said: “I am immensely proud of what the Jersey Beans have achieved this year.

"They have all worked extremely hard and dedicated a lot of time, effort and finances in getting to a level worthy of achieving a silver medal at the UK national Championships and they truly deserve all their success.”

Lead photo: Luke Gale.