Story by the Wollondilly Advertiser.
Elise Brown first jumped out of a plane at just nine years old.
Born into a family of skydivers this was nothing too strange for the Narellan teen.
However it was indoor skydiving that stole Brown’s heart.
“I was given an indoor skydiving voucher for my birthday and I just loved it,” the 18-year-old said.
“It was around the time I could go for my skydiving licence but I realised I could learn a lot more at indoor skydiving.”
Brown will represent NSW at the 2018 Australian Open Indoor Skydiving Championships on August 24 and 25.
She will compete in the Adult Freestyle Open section.
“We get judged on difficulty and how the moves are presented,” she said.
“I will do three routines, one is freestyle set to one minute of music the other two have compulsory moves that we all have to do so everyone gets judges on the same maneuvers.”
Brown will also head to Bahrain to represent Australia in the third FAI (Federation Aeronatique Internationale) World Cup of Indoor Skydiving.
Indoor skydiving is an emerging sport which has been growing in popularity in the past few years.
Brown said efforts were under way to have it included in the Olympics.
“It’s a great sport because it’s forever changing,” the former Elderslie High School student said.
“There is always something new to learn and people coming up with new ways to push the boundaries.”
While it sounds like fun to fly around in an air tunnel, Brown said serious competitors needed to train hard.
“I usually fly between three to four times a week, but I will be flying every night in the lead up to the competition,” she said.
“Anyone can fly but to compete you need a high level of fitness so I also do weight training, strength and resistance training at the gym five to six times a week.
“In the tunnel you only have about 70 per cent of your normal flexibility so you have to work hard.”
Brown urged other locals to give indoor skydiving a go.
“It’s something you just can’t explain until you try it.”
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