Day 3 Recap
Day 3 Brings Records, Podium Finishes and Tight Competition at USPA Nationals
As the sun rose over Skydive Perris, five Wingsuit Acrobatic teams took to the sky for the first rounds of their competition at the 2026 USPA National Skydiving Championships.
The teams opened with a mix of technical and creative free routines, with several notable performances throughout the day. The all-female team Tough Tampons set a new California female state record in Round 2 with ten grips.
Tough Turkey Labs also made history, setting a new national record for the longest sequence with a 49-point performance in Round three.
The Wingsuit Acrobatic competition was scheduled for seven rounds, but after five rounds, clouds at the teams’ working altitude forced officials to call the competition for the day. The remaining rounds will be completed as conditions allow.
Meanwhile, the Canopy Formation competitors continued their competition despite the changing weather. In Canopy Formation 2-Way Open, Elsinore Too Wrapped Up and Bad Advice Club finished Round eight tied for third place, requiring a jump-off to determine the final podium position. Despite rising temperatures and the physical demands of completing multiple jumps over several days, both teams delivered strong performances. Elsinore Too Wrapped Up ultimately won the jump-off to secure third place. At the top of the standings, the Golden Knights claimed the gold medal with 168 points. Deland Hard Deck Heroes finished second with 106 points. Guest team Qatar A was not eligible for medals but posted the highest overall score in the event, finishing with an impressive 203 points.
The Canopy Formation 4-Way Rotation competition also concluded. Air Force Midnight Hammer and Air Strike finished the competition separated by just one point. The teams posted identical scores in Rounds three, four, six and seven before Midnight Hammer edged ahead in the final standings, taking second place with 79 points. Air Strike finished third with 78 points. Elsinore Too Wrapped Up dominated the event, finishing in first place with 141 points.
With the 2-Way Open and 4-Way Rotation competitions complete, attention turned to the Canopy Formation Pro-Am event. All 10 teams completed three rounds, with the early standings showing a tightly contested field.
Line Junkies currently lead the competition, with their best score so far coming in Round one with eight points. Elsinore-18th Jump and Onward are close behind after also posting eight points in Round one. Air Force Birdball sits in third place, with six points in each of its first three rounds.With the teams separated by relatively small margins, the standings remain wide open as the competition continues.
At the conclusion of the day’s jumping, competitors in Speed Skydiving and Performance Wingsuit completed their official briefings in preparation for their respective competitions.
Unlike the team events, these individual disciplines do not require a draw. Performance Wingsuit competitors did, however, complete detailed suit measurements, while Speed Skydiving competitors underwent gear inspections and an official weigh-in. With preparations complete, the Speed Skydiving and Performance Wingsuit competitors are set to begin competition.
Day 3 brought several records, two completed Canopy Formation events and the introduction of the Pro-Am competition. With the remaining Canopy Formation and Wingsuit Acrobatic rounds still to be completed and new disciplines beginning, competition at the 2026 USPA National Skydiving Championships continues.
