Chicks Rock Elsinore for 22nd Year
Event News
Monday, December 25, 2023
Above: Organized by Leah Levy, jumpers converge on a belly round that will later transition to a sit. Photo by Mark Kirschenbaum/Hypoxic.
What has happened the first full weekend of October every year for the last 22 years? The biggest boogie in Southern California: Chicks Rock! The boogie, the brainchild of DZ owner Karl Gulledge, is meant to celebrate women in skydiving and have some of the most talented and skilled female skydivers come to Skydive Elsinore to load organize for three days.
Some of those organizers were local, but others traveled from all over the country: Marie Clark, Amelia Dunaway and Katie Hansen led the wingsuiters across the skies; Amberly Brown, Wendi Corbin, Leah Levy, Katie Pele and Chazi Rutz were in charge of tracking, movement and freefly; Lori Kraemer Clark, Jackie Ellis and Julie Kleinwort organized beginner and advanced formation skydivers; and Steph Libby helped with beginner-to-intermediate levels across disciplines.
Saturday night, as always, brought the night swoops and costume contest. This year’s theme, Studio 69, led to some imaginative costumes, and Moo Tang kept everyone entertained with tunes and a light show. Sunday is always one of the hardest days of the boogie, since people stay up and get their party on the night before, but with blue skies and plenty of daylight, skydivers were up and manifesting to get in those last loads before they had to leave.
Organizers Jackie Ellis and Wendi Corbin lead a stellar early-morning hybrid. hoto by Mark Kirschenbaum/Hypoxic.
Skydive Elsinore had some amazing donations from on-site vendors Advanced Aerospace Designs Vigil, Apex, Axel Energy Drink, Bonehead, Down Low Gear, Freefall Data Systems, Gold State Gear, Sound Sentri and United Parachute Technologies. Even the vendors who couldn’t attend—Aerodyne Research, Airtec CYPRES, Cookie Helmets, Fluid Wings, Infinity, Jyro, Larsen & Brusgaard, Merlin Suits, Option Studios, Para Gear Equipment Co., Rig Sleeve, Skydive Wings and SSK—donated items.
Plans are already underway for an incredible Chicks Rock 2024, which will take place (as always), the first full weekend in October.
Mary SantAngelo | D-9944
Perris, California