Most tandem skydives in 24 hours-world record set by Chip Bowlin and Kristin Gould

  ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla., USA -- Lt. Cols . Chip Bowlin and Kristin Gould of MacDill Air Force Base finished 103 tandem skydives in 24 hours -setting the world record for the Most tandem skydives in 24 hours ( most tandem parachute jumps in 24 hours ).

Photo: Bowlin, above, and Gould as they make their 103rd jump in less than 24 hours. / Photo by BILLY PORTER ( enlarge photo )

Lt. Cols. Chip Bowlin and Kristin Gould of MacDill Air Force Base achieved the feat to help raise money for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. "It has supported the Special Operations community for the last 20 years," she said. "It's a security blanket that makes our job so much easier it is such a comfort knowing they're there."
Click here for donation information . All contributions go directly to the SOF Warrior Foundation and are tax-deductible

   Their fasted cycle was 5 1/2 minutes from take-off to landing, they said. That's from the plane taking off, to the freefall and landing, to the plane taking off again.



"First I thought it was pretty insane. I still think it's pretty insane," said Gould's daughter, Ashley Marquardt, 20. "But they're doing some awesome jumps and I'm really proud."

  An army of support crew and spectators worked hard on the ground, switching out pilots, packing parachutes, photographing the drops and inspecting equipment during every 10-minute cycle.

    Both jumpers are highly trained -- Gould has completed 200 dives and Bowlin about 1,500. Yet a number of factors raised the bar on this unique stunt: the low visibility at night, intermittent cloud cover, and the fatigue that comes with falling 5,000 feet over and over and over.

   Gould and Bowlin's 103rd and final jump was from more than 12,000 feet up, flanked by 14 other parachutists. Jumpers and crew exchanged hugs and high-fives.

  There actually wasn't a tandem skydiving record before this. Gould and Bowlin said they are proud to be the first.