Skydivers attempt to break 40-year-old world record in Lake Wales on Veterans Day

The Brief Twenty-six skydivers from four countries are attempting to break a 40-year-old world record at Jump Florida in Lake Wales. The current record of 24 skydivers was established by the British Royal Marines in 1986. The attempts run November 11-13, with eight active-duty military members and veterans among the participants. LAKE WALES, Fla. - A group of 26 skydivers from around the world is attempting to break a world record that has stood for 40 years, taking to the skies over Polk County in hopes of creating a massive human chain made of parachutes. Skydiving world record attempt What we know: The record-breaking effort is underway at Jump Florida in Lake Wales, where experienced skydivers from the United States, Canada, Argentina and Australia have gathered for three days of attempts beginning Wednesday. The goal is to create the largest vertical stack canopy formation ever recorded, surpassing a record established by the British Royal Marines in 1986. What makes this skydiving record so difficult? Unlike traditional skydiving, where participants jump from an airplane and descend independently, canopy formation skydiving involves maneuvering open parachutes close enough for participants to connect in midair. For this particular record, the skydivers must form a vertical stack, with each person positioned beneath another to create a long chain stretching through the sky. It's a maneuver that requires considerable coordination, precision, and planning. Organizers say the team must account for differences in parachute size, age and wing loading, which describes how much weight each parachute carries relative to its size. The vertical stack formation was once a popular discipline in competitive skydiving but largely fell out of favor decades ago as participants moved toward larger offset and diamond-shaped formations. That helps explain why the record has remained untouched since 1986. "We're excited to work on such a fun project and attempt to break a world record that has stood for 40 years in our sport," said Chris Gay, a competitive canopy formation skydiver and one of the event's organizers. "The engineering and skills to build a vertical formation are very different from what is needed to build an offset formation like the one we completed last year, but we're hoping that we can make adjustments as needed and achieve the result we are looking for." Lake Wales has a history of skydiving records The backstory: This isn't the first time Jump Florida has hosted an ambitious world record attempt. In November 2025, skydivers at the Lake Wales facility established a 104-person canopy formation record. That achievement involved a different formation design, allowing more participants to connect in a wider arrangement rather than a single vertical line. This week's attempt involves fewer skydivers but presents a different technical challenge. The team spent Tuesday preparing for the effort, with record attempts scheduled Wednesday through Friday. Organizers expect to make four or five attempts each day, depending on the conditions and the team's progress. Veterans Day adds special meaning to the attempt Dig deeper: The timing of the record attempt carries additional significance. Eight participants are active-duty U.S. military members or veterans, representing backgrounds in the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force. Among them is a current member of the U.S. Army Golden Knights, the Army's official parachute team. Other participants include Marine veteran Jorge Chacon, a Florida resident, and Army veteran Steve Archuletta. The military connection also extends to the record they're trying to break. Forty years ago, members of Britain's Royal Marines successfully connected 24 parachutes in a vertical formation, establishing the mark that remains the target for this international group. The new attempt begins on Veterans Day, bringing together military veterans, active-duty service members and civilian skydivers in pursuit of the same goal. When and where can spectators watch? Timeline: The record attempts are taking place at Jump Florida, located at 440 S. Airport Road at Lake Wales Municipal Airport. The team plans to begin each day around 6 a.m., with the first record attempts expected between 6:15 and 6:45 a.m. Additional jumps are planned throughout the morning, with attempts continuing through Friday, November 13. Spectators are welcome once the drop zone opens at 7 a.m. Jump Florida will also continue its regular operations, including tandem skydives for first-time participants and training programs for people interested in learning to skydive. Whether the group succeeds on its first attempt or needs several more jumps, organizers hope to accomplish something that has eluded skydivers for four decades. The Source: Information for this report comes from the United States Parachute Association, Jump Florida, event organizers and media materials provided by Dittoe Public Relations. Details about the record, participating skydivers, and scheduled attempts were provided ahead of Wednesday's event. Lake Wales