French jumpers set for sweep

LIDO, West Java (JP): France maintained its superb form yesterday for a possible clean sweep of the Sixth World Parachuting Championships on Canopy Formation.

Although strong winds caused the organizers to stop the sorties, France has maintained its chance of winning the overall title when the biennial meet concludes tomorrow.

Competing teams managed only to make the sixth jump in the four-way sequential, the seventh jump in the four-way canopy formation, and the sixth and seventh jumps in the eight-way speed formation event.

With just one jump left, defending champion France combined a total time of 237.12 seconds in the eight-way speed formation. Coming a distant second was the United States which clocked 256.98 seconds.

Host Indonesia, which was represented by the Air Force's and the Army's Special Forces, managed 784.95 seconds. They are last among the six teams competing in the eight-way speed formation.

France confirmed its mastery with two record-breaking jumps on Tuesday and Thursday.

The four-way sequential also belonged to the Frenchmen, who have performed a total of 68 formations in seven jumps.

Each team has 120 seconds to display as many formations as possible.

Defending champion the United States, whose record of 16 formations in a single jump two years ago in Australia remains secure, trailed France with 57 formations.

The Indonesian team, represented by the Aves Club from Bandung, West Java, brought up the rear with 10 formations in a single jump. The Indonesian team underwent a one month training stint in the United States prior to the championships.

In the four-way canopy rotation, France and Italy stayed canopy-to-canopy after seven sorties. The French managed a total of 142 rotations, just one rotation ahead of Italy.

Meanwhile, program coordinator Ahmed Solihin said free falls by the Air Force Special Force and the winners of each category will cap-off the closing ceremony tomorrow.

"We will also invite the Canadian team to take part in the ceremony," Ahmed said.

The colorful Canadian team, wearing yellow and purple jumpsuits to match their parachutes, drew mounds of applause from spectators because of its difficult maneuvers.

The closing ceremony will also feature traditional dances and art performances like kendang rancak and debus.

A bogey above the Borobudur and Prambanan temples in Central Java is planned for Monday and Tuesday. (yan)