Skydive Chicago and Skydive Paraclete XP welcome skydivers from around the country to compete in the USPA National Championships!

August 29- September 4, 2024

CP at Paraclete XP

September 8-26, 2024

Skydive Chicago

Click to see event location, dates, Chief Judge, registration link, and description!

Canopy Piloting

Canopy Piloting

Location: Skydive Paraclete XP

Official Practice Period: Thursday, August 29 – Friday, August 30

Registration: Friday, August 30

Competition: Saturday, August 31 – Wednesday, September 4

Chief Judge: Marylou Laughlin

What is CP?

A competition in canopy piloting consists of three rounds in speed, three in distance, and three in accuracy.
During the speed rounds, the pilot’s goal is to navigate under canopy through the boundaries of the course in the fastest time.
During the distance rounds, competitors drag a foot in the water at the beginning of the course and then continue to fly down the course as far as possible. The toe drag is not required for flyers in the advanced category.
​In the accuracy rounds, the pilot’s goal is to drag a foot through as many water gates as possible and then land in a specific accuracy zone. More points are awarded the closer to the target the pilot lands. Pilots lose points if they do not stand up the landing.

Canopy Piloting - Freestyle

Canopy Piloting- Freestyle

Location: Skydive Paraclete XP

Official Practice Period: Thursday, August 29 – Friday, August 30

Registration: Friday, August 30

Competition: Saturday, August 31 – Wednesday, September 4

Chief Judge: Marylou Laughlin

What is CP-Freestyle?

Canopy piloting-freestyle is a separate competition from canopy piloting that is all about style! The competitors have three rounds to complete different moves over the water that are judged based on difficulty and how well they are performed.

Canopy Formation

Canopy Formation

Location: Skydive Chicago

Registration: Saturday, September 21

Competition: Sunday, September 22 – Thursday, September 26

Chief Judge: Cheryl Michaels

What is CF?

In canopy formation skydiving, the teams perform a sequence of formations during their descent under canopy. A team videographer flies behind the group to record them for judging. The competitors must link themselves by taking grips with their hands or feet on the lines or risers of their teammate’s canopy for eight rounds.
4-way Rotation: the top competitor in the formation drops grips and flies to the bottom of the formation as quick as possible.
4-way Sequential, 2-way Sequential Open, and 2-way Sequential ProAm: the teams complete a sequence of different formations as many time as possible within working time

Accuracy

Accuracy

Location: Skydive Chicago

Registration: Saturday, September 21

Competition: Sunday, September 22 – Wednesday, September 25

Chief Judge: Lucy Mayer

What is Accuracy?

Accuracy is where skydivers compete to land as close to the center of a target as possible. The target is able to measure a distance of 16cm from the dead center and is placed in the center of a 5m air-filled tuffet that cushions the landings for the competitors. Competitors exit the plane at 3,000 feet above the ground and are scored based on the first point of contact with the target. The closest one after ten rounds wins (eight rounds for teams)!

4-way Formation Skydiving

4-way Formation Skydiving

Location: Skydive Chicago

Registration: Thursday, September 12

Competition: Friday, September 13 – Tuesday, September 17

Chief Judge: Rhonda Kaletz

What is 4-way FS?

In 4-way formation skydiving, teams made up of four performers and one videographer have 35 seconds of freefall to complete as many formations as possible. For ten rounds, teams exit at 10,500 ft above the ground and are given a different specific sequence of formations to complete each jump. The winning team completes the most successful formations!

8-way Formation Skydiving

8-way Formation Skydiving

Location: Skydive Chicago

Registration: Saturday, September 14

Competition: Sunday, September 15 – Wednesday, September 18

Chief Judge: Rhonda Kaletz

What is 8-way FS?

In 8-way formation skydiving, teams made up of eight performers and one videographer have 50 seconds of freefall to complete as many formations as possible. For ten rounds, teams exit at 13,000 ft above the ground and are given a different specific sequence of formations to complete each jump. The team to complete the most formations in the given time over ten rounds wins!

16-way Formation Skydiving

16-way Formation Skydiving

Location: Skydive Chicago

Registration: Monday, September 16

Competition: Tuesday, September 17 – Friday, September 20

Chief Judge: Rhonda Kaletz

What is 16-way FS?

In 16-way formation skydiving, teams made up of sixteen performers and one videographer have 50 seconds of freefall to complete as many formations as possible. For six rounds, teams exit at 13,000 ft above the ground and are given a different specific sequence of formations to complete each jump. The team to complete the most formations in the given time over ten rounds wins!

10-way Formation Skydiving

10-way Formation Skydiving

Location: Skydive Chicago

Registration: Tuesday, September 17

Competition Begins: Wednesday, September 18 – Saturday, September 21

Chief Judge: Rhonda Kaletz

What is 10-way FS?

In 10-way FS, each person on a team exits individually as fast as they can and the team builds their formation in the least amount of time possible. Each jump is made from 11,000 ft above the ground and each formation must be successfully held for at least five seconds to count. Each of the six rounds is a different formation. The team with the lowest cumulative time wins!

2-way Mixed Formation Skydiving

2-way Mixed Formation Skydiving

Location: Skydive Chicago

Registration: Friday, September 20

Competition: Saturday, September 21 – Tuesday, September 24

Chief Judge: Rhonda Kaletz

What is MFS?

In 2-way mixed formation skydiving, teams made up of two performers and one videographer have 35 seconds of freefall to complete as many mixed formations as possible including formations in any orientation (belly, back, head, or feet to the Earth). For ten rounds, teams exit at 13,000 ft above the ground and are given a different specific sequence of formations to complete each jump. The team to complete the most formations in the given time over all the rounds wins!

4-way Vertical Formation Skydiving

4-way Vertical Formation Skydiving

Location: Skydive Chicago

Registration: Thursday, September 19

Competition: Friday, September 20 – Monday, September 23

Chief Judge: Rhonda Kaletz

What is VFS?

In 4-way vertical formation skydiving, teams made up of four performers and one videographer have 35 seconds of freefall to complete as many vertical formations as possible. For ten rounds (six for intermediate), teams exit at 13,000 ft above the ground and are given a different specific sequence of formations requiring flyers to fall with their head or feet towards the ground (vs the traditional “belly-to-earth” body position) to complete each jump. The team to complete the most formations in the given time over all the rounds wins!

Wingsuit - Acrobatic

Wingsuit- Acrobatic

Location: Skydive Chicago

Registration: Sunday, September 8

Competition: Monday, September 9 – Thursday, September 12

Chief Judge: Alix Raymond

What is WS-Acrobatic?

The wingsuit acrobatic team consists of two performers and one videographer. The competition is made up of compulsory rounds where teams complete a set of maneuvers they must do together, as well as free rounds where a team’s choreographed routine is scored based on style, plan, and camera work. Teams have 7,500 vertical feet to perform.

Wingsuit - Performance

Wingsuit- Performance

Location: Skydive Chicago

Registration: Sunday, September 8

Competition: Monday, September 9 – Thursday, September 12

Chief Judge: Alix Raymond

What is WS-Performance?

A competition in wingsuit-performance consists of three rounds in speed, three in distance, and three in time.
During the speed rounds, the pilot’s goal is to fly as fast as possible while in the competition window.
During the distance rounds, the pilot’s goal is to fly as far as possible in a horizontal line across the ground.
​In the time rounds, the pilot’s goal is to stay in the competition window for the longest amount of time. A position logging device is worn by the competitors to collect real-time data and GPS position. The competition window is 1,000m (3,281 ft) measured vertically.

Speed

Speed

Location: Skydive Chicago

Registration: Monday, September 16

Competition: Tuesday, September 17 – Thursday, September 19

Chief Judge: Ted Chen

What is Speed?

Skydiving speed competition is the fastest non-motorized sport in the world. Competitors can reach more than 300mph by orienting their body in an aerodynamic position and wearing tight fitting suits to reduce drag. Flyers have eight jumps to attempt the fastest vertical speed during three seconds of every jump. A speed measuring device is worn by each competitor and collects the data for the judges.

AE - Freestyle

Freestyle

Location: Skydive Chicago

Registration: Tuesday, September 17

Competition: Wednesday, September 18 – Saturday, September 21

Chief Judge: Bryce Witcher

What is Artistic?

Artistic includes of two sub-categories of competition: freestyle and freeflying. Freefly includes a team consisting of two performers and a videographer, while freestyle includes one performer and one videographer. The competition is made up of compulsory rounds (jumps two and five) where teams complete four specific sequences of moves, as well as free rounds where a team’s individual choreographed routine is scored based on difficulty and execution (jumps 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7). Teams exit from 13,000 ft above the ground and have 42 seconds to perform.

AE - Freefly

Freefly

Location: Skydive Chicago

Registration: Wednesday, September 18

Competition: Thursday, September 19 – Sunday, September 22

Chief Judge: Bryce Witcher

What is Artistic?

Artistic includes of two sub-categories of competition: freestyle and freeflying. Freefly includes a team consisting of two performers and a videographer, while freestyle includes one performer and one videographer. The competition is made up of compulsory rounds (jumps two and five) where teams complete four specific sequences of moves, as well as free rounds where a team’s individual choreographed routine is scored based on difficulty and execution (jumps 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7). Teams exit from 13,000 ft above the ground and have 42 seconds to perform.

Media Coverage

Check out the media coverage for USPA Nationals 2024 at each location.
ALL events other than CP
September 8-26, 2024
Canopy Piloting and Canopy Piloting-Freestyle
August 29- September 4, 2024

Pictures and Videos

Info on the best place to find pictures and videos for each dropzone will be here closer to the event.

Media Inquiries

Press release information and event coverage will be posted here.

Skydive Chicago Event Manager

Tracey Holman

Skydive Paraclete XP Event Manager

Jeana Billings

Vendors & Sponsors

Vendors and Sponsors interested in being a part of USPA Nationals 2024 should contact us for more information.

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