28 April 2016
What will you be doing at the age of 100? For Verdun Hayes, above, the answer was simple. Jump out of an aeroplane and skydive to the ground!
Verdun jumped at Skydive.Buzz based at Dunkeswell, in Devon and became the oldest skydiver in the UK. The current Guinness World Record for the Oldest tandem parachute jump (male) is 101 years and 3 days set in Canada. Skydivers hope Verdun will beat this record by coming back for another jump next year. After the jump Verdun said, “It was wonderful and I felt like I was floating. I would do it again tomorrow.”
Verdun raised money for North Devon Hospice. He was taken on the tandem jump by the most experienced instructor at Skydive.Buzz with over 10,000 jumps, Jason Farrant. Verdun is fit and healthy, but due to his impressive age, a doctor recommended to jump from 10,000 feet, rather than Skydive.Buzz’s usual 15,000 feet. He was accompanied on his jump by his two great grandsons, Jack and Ben, who are in their 20s and fell in love with the sport today.
World record skydive bid
Skydive.Buzz will attempt to set a new world record for the most tandem skydives in 24 hours at Dunkeswell Airfield on Monday, 20 June, and they are looking for more jumpers. Skydive.Buzz is hoping to beat the current total of 403 as recorded in the Guinness Book of records.
Jason Farrant of Skydive Buzz said three Beech 99 skydiving planes will be used, with 15,000 feet jumps from sunrise to sunset. “As long as people are reasonably fit and healthy, they can do a skydive,” said John.
