New "celebrity" skydiver - Justine Henin-Hardenne

[cpoxon 0]

From http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/sports/story.html?id=a5a74741-d5a7-4db5-80d7-55c2b2e72f11

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Justine Henin-Hardenne uses skydiving during layoff to get adrenaline fix

Julie Scott
Canadian Press


Monday, August 15, 2005

TORONTO (CP) - During a long layoff due to illness last season, Justine Henin-Hardenne needed another way to get the adrenaline fix she normally received from playing competitive tennis.

She found it 4,000 metres in the air. "I couldn't get excited on the court," said Henin-Hardenne. "When you love this so much, when you're on the court, when you have to save break point when you serve for the match, wow, you're just getting excited. I didn't have that last year when I was sick. I had to find something else."

So, Henin-Hardenne's husband introduced her to one of his favourite pastimes - skydiving. To date, she's jumped out of a plane 19 times.

The 23-year-old Belgian, who is the No. 4 seed this week at the $1.3-million US Rogers Cup, had always wanted to try it but was nervous about getting injured. As one of the top players on the WTA Tour, she didn't want to risk a long layoff recovering from something that could have been prevented.

But last year, that all changed when an energy-draining blood virus sidelined her for several months. Skydiving turned out to be the perfect medicine and while she says she doesn't need it as much as she used to because she's back playing competitive tennis, she still does a jump now and then. It was how she celebrated winning a gold medal at last summer's Olympics.

"You forget about everything else, who you are, the people who live with you. You just fly for a minute.

"It's amazing, everybody should do it."

Boring tennis stuff snipped. So does anyone know her tennis-coach husband Pierre-Yves Hardenne? How many jumps does he have?

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

[Elisha 1]

Cool. I think I read somewhere that Mark Philipousis used to be (or still is) an avid skydiver.

[Malta_Dog 0]

She is only doing tandems: sponsors and/or insurances don't allow her to skydive solo.

According to one of her TI, she seems to be cool.

Her husband must have a couple hundred jumps under his belt. According to the same TI, he's doing good in freefall for his jump # because he did a lot of tunnel time.

All your dropzone are belong to us!!!!111!

[packerboy 3]

19 tandems... wow. Does anyone know of anyone who has more passenger rides other than IE's? (non-solo jumpers)

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In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

[IanHarrop 42]

There is a guy named "Billy" who is a quadriplegic that has over 100 tandems jumps.

He jumps at Edmonton Skydive Centre in Alberta, Canada.

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy

[jurgencamps 0]

Are you sure, because some skydivers say that she did AFF (or PAC) in Maubeuge, France?

[Squeak 17]

a girl here has over 35 tandems

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[dvdcoon 0]

Never heard of her

[beezyshaw 0]

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19 tandems... wow. Does anyone know of anyone who has more passenger rides other than IE's? (non-solo jumpers)

Charlie Mullins did 80 tandems with his dad, Mike, before he turned 11 when he was allowed to skydive by himself.

[Elisha 1]

Wow. The DZO at my former to a 12 yr old girl once (daughter of a jumper), but that's nothing in comparison 80 before 11!

[riggerrob 643]

Similarly, there is a guy in a wheel chair who has done a dozen or so tandem jumps with Brian Gough at Pitt Meadows and Chilliwack, BC.

[Eule 0]

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Does anyone know of anyone who has more passenger rides other than IE's? (non-solo jumpers)

Manifest at my DZ is married to one of the instructors. She's jumped several times (a couple dozen?)
but always tandem.

Eule