Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode Kirk Verner is a true legend in skydiving, with a remarkable career spanning decades. As a founding member of Arizona Airspeed, Kirk has amassed an incredible 72 gold medals at world and national levels in both 4-Way and 8-Way formation skydiving. His achievements place him among the most successful competitors in the history of the sport. Kirk has also made significant contributions beyond competition. He captained both the 300- and 400-way world record for...
Oct 21, 2024•1 hr 31 min•Season 2Ep. 52
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode Zainab Alibhai has defied expectations and broken significant barriers, earning a place of recognition within the international skydiving community. Originally from Kenya, Zainab made her first skydive in 2014—a life-changing experience that set her on a remarkable path. From that moment, she embarked on an unconventional journey, traveling across the globe to log enough jumps and earn multiple ratings. Today, Zainab is not only a Tandem Instructor, AFF Inst...
Oct 14, 2024•49 min•Season 2Ep. 51
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode Sherry Butcher is a highly accomplished and influential figure in the skydiving community. She co-owns Aerohio Skydiving Center in Ashland, Ohio, and has been actively involved in the sport for over 30 years. Sherry made her first jump in May 1993 and has since made over 10,000 jumps. Her passion for skydiving led her to become a skilled instructor, eventually achieving certifications as an AFF Instructor, Tandem Instructor, Senior Rigger, and Skydive Univer...
Oct 07, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 50
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode In this episode, we dive into the world of Rook Nelson, a respected figure in the skydiving community and the owner of the legendary Skydive Chicago. With an astounding 26,000+ jumps to his name, Rook is a decorated competitor, boasting 13 World Championship Titles, 17 World Records, and 36 National Titles. His passion for skydiving transcends personal achievement as he opens the skies to others through Skydive Chicago, hosting the renowned Summerfest, among...
Aug 05, 2024•1 hr 22 min
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode Join us for an exhilarating episode as the master storyteller, Rich Grimm, returns for a second time to recount his latest adventures in the Seychelles and South Africa boogies. Get ready for a rollercoaster of emotions as Rich shares the thrilling highs and challenging lows of organizing skydiving events in some of the world's most remote and breathtaking locations.
Jul 29, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 49
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode Matt Fry is a well-respected free flyer with a curiosity for various disciplines that include artistic freefly, big way VFS and even Speed Skydiving! If you’re not familiar with Matt Fry, you’ve seen his work as he served as one of the organizers for this year’s Max Pyro jump which must be considered one of the most spectacular skydives ever made! Matt is also a key organizer working with Rook Nelson and others on the dive engineering for next year's Vertica...
Jul 22, 2024•55 min•Ep. 48
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode The indomitable Cheryl Stearns returns to the 20-Minute Call for a second interview to delve deeper into her remarkable career. We explore her aviation journey with over 23,000 flight hours, her quest to break Colonel Joe Kittinger's high jump record with StratoQuest, and her resilience in overcoming loss. Cheryl reflects on the highs and lows of being a pilot, significant injuries from her 22,000+ jumps, and the meticulous planning behind her feats. She sha...
Jul 15, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 47
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode Craig O'Brien has accomplished so much that often his title as a 5-time US National Champion and 3-time World Champion is overlooked! This oversight only happens because of the glowing items on his resumé which includes filming the epic skydiving scenes in Iron Man, Iron Man 3, Kingsman, Godzilla, Point Break, the Hangover III, The Bucket List, Charlie’s Angels, and perhaps the most iconic skydiving scene ever filmed - the famous HALO jump out of a C-17 mili...
Jul 08, 2024•1 hr 8 min
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode Doug Smith has been in the sport of skydiving for 30 years and is renowned for creating one of the world's most beautiful dropzones - Chicagoland Skydiving Center. In 2011, CSC transitioned from Hinckley, Illinois, to a state-of-the-art 20,000-square-foot facility in nearby Rochelle. This impressive center features a restaurant and bar, gear store, sand volleyball courts, and two Cessna Grand Caravans. Notably, it is the first skydiving facility powered by s...
Jul 01, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 46
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode Sara Curtis is our guest today, and her resumé reads like a thrilling adventure novel. She’s a stuntwoman, business owner, politician, and world record skydiver. With three World Titles, 11 National Titles in Vertical Formation Skydiving (VFS), 20 World Records, and over 17,000 skydives to her name, Sara Curtis is nothing short of phenomenal. Sara burst onto the scene in the early 2000s with Arizona Arsenal, a revolutionary vertical skydiving team that redef...
Jun 24, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 45
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode My guest today has truly lived a life that transcends even the wildest dreams of a successful career in skydiving. With over 500 BASE jumps and 17,000 skydives, Jon Devore is a highly respected camera flyer, BASE jumper, wingsuiter, world champion free flyer, and stunt performer. His work has been featured in major films such as 2015’s Point Break , Iron Man 3 , Transformers: Dark of the Moon , Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning , and Ad Astra . Jon also ser...
Jun 17, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 44
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode My guest today is making significant waves in the international skydiving community. Marta Molinska, a well-known skydiver and organizer, is behind one of the most thrilling events emerging out of Europe—the European Skydiving Symposium. With over 2,000 jumps to her name, Marta is an AFF Instructor and Event Manager at Sky Camp in Poland. Her dedication and passion for skydiving are evident in everything she does, and she’s known for her ability to get thing...
Jun 10, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 43
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode My guest today is from the Pioneer era of parachuting and yet is the sports biggest ambassador. Kim Emmons Knor made her first jump in 1959. As a member of the first U.S. Women’s Parachute Team, she won gold at the Sixth World Parachuting Championships. Flash forward to present day, or 65 years after her first jump, Kim is inspiring countless people on her journey to gain the Wings Award which is issued by the USPA for the achievement of 1,000 jumps. At age ...
Jun 03, 2024•58 min•Ep. 42
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode Rudy Ribbeck deployed to Vietnam at 19, piloting a Huey helicopter. He was shot down three times and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Bronze Stars, and 53 Air Medals. In his second tour, he flew reconnaissance missions in fixed-wing aircraft. Returning to the US, Rudy served at STRICOM and was assigned to an Intelligence Field Station in Turkey with Top Secret Security Clearance. In the final three years of his 20-year Army career, Rudy joined the...
May 27, 2024•56 min•Ep. 41
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode Today's guest is Alan Eustace, who captured global attention on October 24, 2014, by setting the world record for the highest altitude jump at 135,890 feet and the longest freefall distance. His suit from this jump is displayed at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Virginia. Prior to this, Alan was a significant figure in Silicon Valley, having worked at Digital, Compaq, and Hewlett Packard’s Western Research Laboratory. He later joined Googl...
May 20, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 40
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode JaNette Lefkowitz is a towering figure in competitive skydiving in the United States. JaNette's influence spans widely; it's a common thread among many four-way teams to find at least one member who has benefited from her coaching or mentorship. As the co-founder of SDC Rhythm XP, she has been at the helm of a team that embodies excellence since its inception in 2007, consistently competing at the highest levels globally. In addition to her competitive achie...
May 13, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 39
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode Today's guest is a standout figure in the skydiving world. Becca Farewell, with over 7,000 jumps and 11 years of experience, has served as a tandem instructor, AFF Instructor, and videographer at notable locations including Go Jump Oceanside, Skydive Elsinore, and Skydive Perris. Renowned for her vibrant energy and dedication as a teacher, Becca's life took a dramatic turn in July 2021 when a hard landing resulted in quadriplegia. Undeterred, she continues t...
May 06, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 38
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode JOIN OUR COMMUNITY Love the show? Help support it by becoming a member of the 20 Minute Call Community! Supporting the show gives access to a private group page where you can: - suggest who you'd like to hear on the podcast - learn what interviews will be upcoming - submit questions for future guests -receive show swag Join our community and support the pod! Link: patreon.com/The20MinuteCallPodcast ADVERTISE Are you interested in partnering with the 20 Minut...
Apr 29, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 37
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode Danny Smith has been the DZO at Skydive Carolina for 38 years and counting! Throughout his tenure, he's endured major challenges, and yet he still loves it (a rarity!). In this episode we talk about Danny's amazing career and love for skydiving. This is a special episode for me as Danny Smith has done so much for me personally. Without him, my discovery of skydiving and my residency in the United States wouldn't exist. I'm deeply grateful for this man who ga...
Apr 22, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 36
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode Larry Hill is the visionary behind one of the most recognized dropzones in the world, Skydive Arizona. Larry’s influence extends beyond the operation of his famous dropzone. He has been a crucial supporter of competitive skydiving, particularly through his backing of the storied, Arizona Airspeed. This support helped catapult the team to national and world recognition, embodying Larry's commitment to excellence and competitive spirit in skydiving. Moreover...
Apr 15, 2024•39 min•Ep. 35
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode My guest today is arguably one of the most accomplished skydivers in history. Cheryl Stearns has received every major accolade in skydiving and holds an incredible record as a pilot. Cheryl holds: 33 National Championships 30 World Records 22,000+ Jumps First Female Member of the Golden Knights Most Jumps by a Woman in 24 Hours - 352 Int'l Skydiving Hall of Fame Member (2010) Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame Member (2007) Amelia Earhart Pioneering Achievement A...
Apr 08, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 34
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode My guest today can best be described as a force! Lesley Gale is the owner of 11 World records, 3 British records 4 European records, has competed and medaled at more than 100 skydiving competitions, has been a key organizer for 20 female world, national and European Records. Lesley was also the editor of British Skydiving’s magazine from 1996 to 2010, receiving the Royal Aero Club Nexus Trophy for Aviation Journalism in 2009. She launched her online magazine...
Apr 01, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 33
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode My guest today can best be described as a pioneer for his significant contributions to the sport. Paul Fayard has competed at the highest level having a national and world champion in 4-way, has served as an instructor, rigger, pilot, dropzone owner, operator and most famously, aircraft owner. It should also be mentioned that he has trained more than 150 jump pilots, many of them still flying today. If you haven’t met Paul, you have jumped from one of his ai...
Mar 25, 2024•53 min•Ep. 32
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode Born in Tempe, Arizona, Craig Girard made his first jump on March 14, 1981, at Sky Hi-Pioneer DZ, Phoenix, AZ, and has since accumulated over 32,000 jumps. His illustrious career spans more than four decades, and he has won numerous awards and championships, including US National Champion 8-way for an impressive 18 times, and US National Champion 4-way six times. Craig's success in World Cups is equally outstanding, securing five 8-way championships and two ...
Mar 18, 2024•1 hr 20 min
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Mar 11, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 31
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Mar 04, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 30
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Feb 26, 2024•59 min•Ep. 29
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode In today's episode, we're joined by the legendary Mike McGowan, whose 50+ year career as a skydiving photographer has redefined the sport. Mike's contributions include revolutionizing judging at skydiving competitions, capturing record-breaking moments, and earning prestigious honors such as the USPA Gold Medal for Meritorious Service, an honorary Golden Knight title, and induction into the International Skydiving Hall of Fame. Renowned for his groundbreakin...
Feb 19, 2024•54 min•Ep. 28
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode Tom Sanders is renowned for his work on TV commercials (Mountain Dew, Sony, Honda) and films, including James Bond productions and "Point Break." Tom's standout achievement includes leading the camera team for the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games' opening jump. Honored with membership in the US Army Golden Knights (an honorary Golden Knight) and membership in the International Skydiving Hall of Fame, Tom's contributions to the sport are unparalleled. SHOW NOTES Surf...
Feb 12, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 27
Text Me Your Thoughts On This Episode In this episode, we dive into the world of Rook Nelson, a respected figure in the skydiving community and the owner of the legendary Skydive Chicago. With an astounding 26,000+ jumps to his name, Rook is a decorated competitor, boasting 13 World Championship Titles, 17 World Records, and 36 National Titles. His passion for skydiving transcends personal achievement as he opens the skies to others through Skydive Chicago, hosting the renowned Summerfest, among...
Feb 05, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 26
