Thirty South African skydivers are set to make history with a new South African record attempt at Skydive the Ranch in Delmas on Saturday and Sunday.

The event takes place from 08:00 to 17:00 on both days, when the jumpers will attempt to form a precise formation in mid-air, linking up in just 55 seconds.

Roodepoort Record reports that the event, organised by Brad Curnow, Warren Dent and Mohan Chudalay, will feature Roodepoort’s Stevan Boskovic, who will be one of the jumpers and videographers at the event.

The challenge will see the jumpers exit three aircraft simultaneously and create a complex formation before breaking apart to safely deploy their parachutes.

If successful, they will set a new South African record, breaking the current record of 24 skydivers, which was achieved on November 26, 2017.

“I feel grateful because it has been such a wonderful collaboration and team effort. I have to thank the whole team at Skydive the Ranch for being so willing to make the massive effort that it takes to deliver a project like this, as well as my fellow coaches, Mohan, Warren and Amy Ashford, who have been wonderful teammates in this endeavour. And, of course, all of the skydivers who have participated in the camps leading up to this record attempt.

“I feel hopeful, because I believe that this programme will contribute to some positive momentum for the sport of skydiving in South Africa,” Curnow says.

Since Covid-19, the sport has seen consistently declining numbers in terms of membership and jumping activity.

“I hope that what we have done here will help to change that trajectory for the better. Skydiving in South Africa has an amazing history, and some wonderful achievements, and we would love to get the sport back to somewhere near those levels,” adds Curnow.

The event is open to the public and spectators can enjoy on-site facilities, including a restaurant and parking. Tandem skydives and camping are also available.

The public is invited to witness the historic moment.

Organisers say that the event will be an unforgettable and fun experience, showing the skills and teamwork of South Africa’s best skydivers.

Female skydivers break 30-year-old formation record during Women’s Month

In a spectacular celebration of Women’s Month, a group of female skydivers, including members from the Johannesburg Skydiving Club (JSC), achieved a milestone that’s left the South African skydiving community in awe.

Veteran JSC instructors Beverly Cosslett and Amy Ashford, alongside fellow club member Zanele Tshipa, joined an elite team of women from across Gauteng. Skydivers from Johannesburg Skydiving Club, Skydive the Ranch and Skydive Pretoria gathered at Skydive the Ranch to take part in this high-flying historic attempt.

Their goal? To break the long-standing South African female large formation record.

Carletonville Herald reports that on August 2, the team achieved their first success – setting a new national record with a 15-person formation. Not content to stop there, the next day, they made history again by completing a two-point 15-way formation in the Large Formation Full Break Sequential Female category, a category in which the previous record had stood unchallenged for three decades.

“This was a masterful display of talent, camaraderie and dedicated coaching,” says Cosslett.

• This article was amended after first being published.