Red berets hold international skydiving tournament

JAKARTA (JP): Kopassus, the Army's elite group of red-berets, will hold a one-week international parachuting and sky-diving championships in Serang, West Java on May 28 as part of its 42nd anniversary celebrations.

Lt. Col. M. Noer Muis, head of the organizing committee, told newsmen here on Tuesday that the event, called the Kopassus International Open 1994, will feature at least 17 local teams and a number of foreign teams comprised of males and female, civilian and military sky-diving clubs.

Kopassus paratroopers are the spearhead not only for the country's defense, but also for its role in the sky-diving and parachuting sports.

Muis also said that out of 11 countries invited, so far only Russia, Malaysia and Singapore have confirmed their participation in the event.

Aside from Kopassus, local participants consist of units of the National Police (Polri), Army's Reserve Unit (Kostrad), the Air Force, the Navy, Customs officials and several clubs from the capital and provinces.

"I'm sure more countries will participate despite the fact that there is another major sky-diving tournament to be held in China at almost at the same time," Muis said.

He also said that the tournament consists of three competitions: Accuracy, relative work-- which includes a four- way sequence formation skydiving-- and canopy relative work which is composed of a four-way rotation.

Purwoko, a Kopassus soldier, finished third for the category of singles accuracy in the Thai Open International held in Lopburi, Thailand last month.

"We expect to fare better in the upcoming Kopasus tournament," Muis said. (hdj)