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In this episode, we dive into the world of Rook Nelson, a respected figure in the skydiving community and the owner of the legendary Skydive Chicago. With an astounding 26,000+ jumps to his name, Rook is a decorated competitor, boasting 13 World Championship Titles, 17 World Records, and 36 National Titles. His passion for skydiving transcends personal achievement as he opens the skies to others through Skydive Chicago, hosting the renowned Summerfest, among other prestigious events from POPS Nationals to the World Championships.

Listen in as we chat about Rook's personal thoughts on a myriad of topics from the perspective of being a skydiver, competitor, event host and business owner.

TOPICS DISCUSSED

• Alchemy
• Motivations
• Running Summerfest
• Running Skydive Chicago
• Mental Health
• Winning and Competition
• Fatherhood
• 200-Way 2025
• Proud Moments
• Cancer

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Join us for an exhilarating episode as the master storyteller, Rich Grimm, returns for a second time to recount his latest adventures in the Seychelles and South Africa boogies. Get ready for a rollercoaster of emotions as Rich shares the thrilling highs and challenging lows of organizing skydiving events in some of the world's most remote and breathtaking locations.

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Matt Fry is a well-respected free flyer with a curiosity for various disciplines that include artistic freefly, big way VFS and even Speed Skydiving! If you’re not familiar with Matt Fry, you’ve seen his work as he served as one of the organizers for this year’s Max Pyro jump which must be considered one of the most spectacular skydives ever made!

Matt is also a key organizer working with Rook Nelson and others on the dive engineering for next year's Vertical Elite VFS World Record attempts to be hosted at Skydive Chicago in 2025. Though Matt is at a top level in the sport, his interests go beyond free fall - he is a triathlete, SCUBA diver, and mountaineer.

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Craig O'Brien has accomplished so much that often his title as a 5-time US National Champion and 3-time World Champion is overlooked! This oversight only happens because of the glowing items on his resumé which includes filming the epic skydiving scenes in Iron Man, Iron Man 3, Kingsman, Godzilla, Point Break, the Hangover III, The Bucket List, Charlie’s Angels, and perhaps the most iconic skydiving scene ever filmed - the famous HALO jump out of a C-17 military aircraft from 25,000’ with Tom Cruise in frame for the movie Mission Impossible Fallout.

SHOW NOTES

• Family
• Sky Surfing & X Games
• The Start: Charlie’s Angels
• Jumping in Taft
• Tim Rigby & Joe Jennings
• First Big Film: Stealth
• Mission Impossible: Getting the Call
• Working with Tom Cruise

MEDIA LINKS

• VIDEO: Charlie's Angels
• VIDEO: Stealth - Ejection Seat Scene
• VIDEO: Mission Impossible Fallout: Behind The Scenes
• VIDEO: Mission Impossible: Tom Cruise and Craig
• VIDEO: Hall of Fame Reel
• VIDEO: Team Firestarter
• VIDEO: 3 Point 217-Way
• Article: The Falling Star

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Doug Smith has been in the sport of skydiving for 30 years and is renowned for creating one of the world's most beautiful dropzones - Chicagoland Skydiving Center. In 2011, CSC transitioned from Hinckley, Illinois, to a state-of-the-art 20,000-square-foot facility in nearby Rochelle. This impressive center features a restaurant and bar, gear store, sand volleyball courts, and two Cessna Grand Caravans. Notably, it is the first skydiving facility powered by solar energy.

Before becoming a Drop Zone Owner (DZO), Doug gained extensive experience as an instructor, videographer, and Safety & Training Advisor (S&TA), and he is an active pilot with over 5,200 flight hours. Despite his busy schedule as a DZO, he continues to jump with a team and recently participated in Operation VK in Florida.

LINKS
DZ: Chicagoland Skydiving Center
Book: The Gap and the Gain
Book: Profit First

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Sara Curtis is our guest today, and her resumé reads like a thrilling adventure novel. She’s a stuntwoman, business owner, politician, and world record skydiver. With three World Titles, 11 National Titles in Vertical Formation Skydiving (VFS), 20 World Records, and over 17,000 skydives to her name, Sara Curtis is nothing short of phenomenal.

Sara burst onto the scene in the early 2000s with Arizona Arsenal, a revolutionary vertical skydiving team that redefined what was possible in vertical relative work. She has since led and participated in major vertical formation world records, co-founded the Highlight Pro Skydiving team, joined the Eloy City Council as Vice Mayor, performed stunt work in major Hollywood productions, and co-founded a business that trains US Military forces and consults for Firebird, a container manufacturer.

Join us as we delve into Sara’s incredible journey and explore the experiences that have shaped her extraordinary career.

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My guest today has truly lived a life that transcends even the wildest dreams of a successful career in skydiving. With over 500 BASE jumps and 17,000 skydives, Jon Devore is a highly respected camera flyer, BASE jumper, wingsuiter, world champion free flyer, and stunt performer. His work has been featured in major films such as 2015’s Point Break, Iron Man 3, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning, and Ad Astra.

Jon also serves as the event coordinator for the world-renowned Red Bull Air Force, one of the most exciting and recognized demonstration teams globally. In 2023, he was inducted into the International Skydiving Hall of Fame.

Despite his incredible achievements, Jon remains as humble as he was when he first arrived at Skydive Arizona over 30 years ago, dreaming of completing 500 jumps to become a tandem instructor back in Alaska. Along the way, he encountered a few remarkable individuals who would forever change the course of his life.

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Love the show? Help support it by becoming a member of the 20 Minute Call Community! Supporting the show gives access to a private group page where you can:

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