Ground Control is clear for launch

Tight course, fast times, ripped parachutes, and bruised bodies. Washington local wins the 2008 Red Bull Blade Raid by 0.2 seconds.

When only 12 of the starting 42 athletes finish an event, calling it “tough” is like calling Brittany Spears “unstable”. Last week the 2008 Red Bull Blade Raid took an elite field of international skydiving athletes and introduced them to the best of what the Pacific Northwest offers, face first. The slalom course was designed to weed out the timid; taking the athletes through trees, over cliffs and down a double black diamond ski run at speeds up to 60-miles-an-hour.

The fastest time of the weekend belonged to Washington native Luke Aikins a lengthy .2 seconds ahead of the gentle giant JC Colclasure. “Lately I have been getting a lot of Second’s and Third’s in different competitions. It is nice to stand on the very top of the podium.” Aikins jokingly continued, “Maybe my wife will let me sit in the front seat of the car again.”

The Red Bull Blade Raid is the brainchild of Red Bull Air Force members Jon Devore and Andy Farrington “This is just the start of what we are going to do with the Red Bull Blade Raid. The creation of a several stop series would produce a legitimate championship.” DeVore finished the equation by saying, “with courses like this the skydiving industry might become a little sparse!” This year’s event drew a pool of 42 competitors from seven different countries around the globe making it one of the most exclusive competitions in skydiving.

Speed flying down a steep, wooded course with skis and a parachute: the world has never seen a sport like this. Seriously. Would we lie to you?