Golden Knights win Gold

FORT BRAGG, NC, UNITED STATES

08.01.2011

Story by Donna Dixon 

U.S. Army Parachute Team, the Golden Knights

FORT BRAGG, N.C. —The U.S. Army Parachute Team, Golden Knights’ Women and Men’s four-way competition teams returned from the 36th World Military Championships, which was held July 14-21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Conseil International du Sport Militaire, is the military equivalent to the Olympics.

The team competed in Accuracy at the Brazilian Military Academy in Resende, Brazil and four-way at Sky Dive Resende. They proudly brought home Gold, Silver and bronze medals and these medals are the first for the USA in the 5th World Military Games.

The U.S. Golden Knights Women’s Team competed and brought home the Gold medal for overall country and also won Gold in Formation Skydiving in eight rounds and average of 24.6 with a total of 197 points against seven teams from China, France, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Brazil, Korea and Indonesia. They brought home a Silver medal in Team Classic Accuracy defeating Kazakhstan by a mere one centimeter. This phenomenal competition is a monumental win for U.S. Women in overall country and is greatly attributed to the hard work and dedication to the sport for this first year team of ladies.

The five-member U.S. Women’s Team consists of soldiers from the U.S. Army Parachute Team, Team Leader Sgt. 1st Class Elisa Tennyson, Sgt. 1st Class Angela Nichols, Sgt. Dannielle Woosley, Staff Sgt. Laura Dickmeyer and Sgt. Jennifer Schaben and their videographer Staff Sgt. Scott Janise. The team pulled off an invincible showing for the Golden Knights, and did a tremendous job representing the United States in the 36th World Military Parachuting Olympics.

The U.S. Women’s Team was lead into this competition by Sgt. 1st Class Elisa Tennyson who has won eight consecutive Gold Medals information skydiving; four world records at the Military World Parachuting Championships with the Golden Knights first ever female four-way team. Tennyson is an eight time Women’s U.S. National Champion in Style and Accuracy; and is currently ranked in the top three style athletes worldwide.

The Women’s Team has not taken 1st Place Country Overall since December 1985 when Sgt. Cristy Cartensen, Spc. Janice Captain, Capt. Amy Markert, 2nd Lt. Tracey Pohl and Sgt. Terry Vares competed in the 17th World Military Parachute Championship in United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi Nov. 26-Dec. 7, 1985. They won Women’s 1st Place Country Overall and 1st Place Team Accuracy.

The Golden Knight Mens’ Formation Skydiving Team lead by Sgt. 1st Class Brian Krause, Sgt. 1st Class Kurt Isenbarger, Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Davidson, and Staff Sgt. Sean Sweeney brought home the bronze medal in men’s formation skydiving on July 22. Belgium won the gold medal and Germany took the silver. Staff Sgt. Scott Janise, team videographer said, “Belgium ran away with the lead with 43 points on the very first round, while The Golden Knights and Germany stayed tied up to round eight for 2nd place and was placed on weather hold till Saturday for the jump off. Unfortunately the weather did not clear and we took third.”
The U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights won 66 percent of the Medals won at the 36th World Military Championships. Other U.S. medals were earned in basketball and boating.

The Golden Knight Competition Teams have now headed off to bring home the Gold for the FAI World Cup in Saarlouis, Germany.
In skydiving competition, teams have 35 seconds working time with each jump to perform and gain the most points to win a medal. The U.S. fielded its first team to world competition in 1956. The Golden Knights was formed in 1959 with 19 men, known as the Strategic Army Corps Sport Parachute Team. The Golden Knights is now comprised of two demonstration teams, two competition teams, a tandem team, Headquarters and an Aviation Section.

• Date Taken: 08.01.2011
• Date Posted: 08.02.2011 08:45
• Story ID: 74672
• Location: FORT BRAGG, NC, US