Adrenaline rush

Mike Sciacca

Imagine dropping from the sky at nearly 70 mph, the earth coming

right at you, and moments before impact, you level your body as you

approach a still body of water, looking to skim across it.

Sounds nearly impossible, even crazy, but Christopher Irwin not

only has imagined it, he’s accomplished the feat of “swooping,”

officially known as “Canopy Piloting,” on several occasions at the

Perris Valley Skydiving drop zone.

The Huntington Beach resident is in Perris to compete at the

National Skydiving Championships of the U.S. Parachute Assn.

The event will be held over a two-week period, and Canopy Piloting

will make its debut as a demonstration event at this year’s national

competition.

Canopy Piloting was adopted last year as an international event,

and meet director Scott Smith said that he anticipates the new

discipline to be a full-medal event in 2005.

“It’s catching on in popularity in the world of skydiving, and

it’s definitely become one of the best spectator events,” Smith said.

“We anticipate between 600 and 700 competitors out here for the

different discipline competitions, including about 100 for the canopy

piloting exhibition.

“Christopher is one of the most driven athletes I’ve ever met.

He’s really dedicated and hard-working. He’s one of the best in every

discipline.”

The 32-year-old Irwin, who has been a world and national champion

-- the last title he captured came in 2002 -- also will compete in

several formation events at nationals.

He said he wrote a few songs about skydiving while a drummer with

the band, Morbid Reality, whose music played on radio station KNAC,

in the early 1990s.

After seeing the movie, “Point Break,” he and band members and

roadies went skydiving.

Shortly after that, Irwin said he sold his drum kits and took up

skydiving.

Since taking up skydiving 12 1/2 years ago, he estimates he’s

done about 14,500 jumps.

“It’s a beautiful sport and I’d recommend everybody try it,” Irwin

said. “It’s an adrenaline rush, experiencing that free fall. But, it

can be an unforgiving sport. You have to be focused at all times.”

According to numbers compiled by the United States Parachute

Assn., there were 25 skydiving-related deaths in 2003 -- the lowest

number in 12 years.

The worst injury Irwin has suffered, he said, was a broken back at

the end of a 1996 jump in Texas, adding that, “complacency got me.”

Four months later, he was back in the sky, and was part of a

116-person jump that established a national record.

But when Canopy Piloting was introduced into the skydiving world,

Irwin knew the new discipline was for him.

“Swooping revitalized my fire for the sport,” said Irwin, who also

serves as a professional skydiving coach and will be a

coach/participant during nationals. “I love doing formations and team

events, but swooping, right now, is for me. It’s very fast and

action-packed, and you have to hit your landing.”

Some athletes successfully stick their swoop.

Some wipe out at high speeds, much to the fascination of

spectators.

“They enjoy watching us swoop,” Irwin said of competition crowds.

“They cheer when we have a successful swoop, and they can’t help but

be intrigued watching us crash into the water. It’s an in-your-face

discipline.”

Irwin will put his body and skills to the test Friday when the

Canopy Piloting Competition gets underway and runs through Tuesday.

“I feel alive when I skydive,” he added. “There is so much to it

and that feeling of body flight, well, it’s just unexplainable.”