My mom and Roger left yesterday for Thailand to participate in World Team 2004. Everyone think good, positive thoughts for them and their teammates for the next three weeks while they attempt to break TWO different skydiving records. You can check out their progress and get daily updates and pictures/video at the official World Team website. Here is a little tidbit about what they will be trying to accomplish (blurbs courtesy of the World Team website - thank you World Team PR!):

1. Mass Freefall Jump / 24 January 2004 / Bangkok
World Team and 250 Thai skydivers will set a new Guinness Book record by making a Mass Freefall Jump with 672 skydivers jumping en masse out of six C-130 hercules and two G-222 Fiat aircraft flying in formation — over Bangkok and landing at the Sanam Luang Royal Ceremonial Grounds.

2. Largest Freefall Formation / from 26 January - 6 February 2004 / Korat
World Team 2004 will build a formation of 372 skydivers who will exit from four C-130 Hercules from 23,000 feet. The goal: to link grips among all skydivers thereby setting a new Guinness Book and FAI World Record for the Largest Freefall Formation. The large formation jumps will take place in Korat (Nakon Ratchasima, 250 km NE of Bangkok).

For those of you who are not familiar with skydiving - to build a formation of 372 skydivers is a HUGE task and will take extraordinary skill. This would break the current record of 300 skydivers, held for 7.02 seconds, made Dec 12, 2002 in Eloy, AZ (mom and Roger were both on that as well). It might not sound it, but an additional 72 people is a pretty significant amount.

Completing this record will be a great accomplishment for my mom, and all her teammates, and I am so proud she is a part of this event. So do me a favor and close your eyes, and say a little prayer they’ll all be safe. Good luck, World Team! We are all thinkin’ about you!