World Champions Take to the Skies to Launch Maldives’ First Permanent Skydiving Dropzone at Ifuru

26.12.2023 - 11:20 / breakingtravelnews.com

A host of VIPs from the skydiving world – including Red Bull aerial athlete Fred Fugen and multiple world record holder David Nimmo – have taken to the skies above Ifuru Island Maldives to launch the destination’s first permanent skydiving dropzone.

Making the most if its own airport, the recently opened all-inclusive, all-sunset, all-beach resort teamed up with 21k-jump World Champion skydiver Will Penny and Skydive Maldives, Ifuru Island to create the skydiving dropzone, which offers a thrilling new perspective on the idyllic Indian Ocean destination for adrenaline seekers.

To mark the official launch, an all-star lineup of skydiving champions, world record holders and aerial athletes performed a series of daring stunts. Professional skydiver, base jumper and wingsuit pilot, Fred Fugen – famed for his exhilarating stunts with Red Bull – took to the air with his wife Laurence Fugen to perform an array of stunts, including wingsuiting their way down to earth with a skydiver upon each of their backs; while Australian skydiver Richard Pym flew a jaw-dropping 300m2 Maldivian flag and a 300m2 Ifuru Island flag through the skies during two impressive jumps that captivated a rapt crowd of dignitaries and resort guests on the private island.

Following one of his wingsuit flights and upon landing on the beach, Fred Fugen said, “It was beautiful, always so nice to fly above this landscape and super cool to fly the wingsuit in front of you guys, land on the beach. What a day. Another beautiful day in Ifuru.”

Athletes including five-times world champion Raph Coudray; multiple world-record holders David Nimmo and Luis Lopez-Mendez; and Spanish multiple national champion Dani Gallego took to the skies up to 100 times a day throughout the launch week, performing a range of synchronised stunts and individual jumps. Intrepid Nepali mountaineer and hero of Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, Nimsdai Purja MBE, was also on island to join the skydiving adventure.

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On the launch of Ifuru Island Maldives’ permanent skydiving dropzone, World Champion freestyle skydiver and Skydive Maldives Manager, Will Penny, said, “We are incredibly happy to be here with Skydive Maldives at Ifuru Island Maldives. We’ve worked very hard for many months, to put everything in place, we have a fantastic team, incredible infrastructure and we can’t wait to welcome the world to experience this.“

“We have a team of very experienced professionals and tandem instructors. After a short safety briefing, within 20 minutes guests can be on a plane harnessed to a very experienced instructor, and enjoy the experience of a free fall and canopy ride before landing safely back on earth and going for a swim in the sea as well