Swoop legend Cornelia Mihai started skydiving because she wanted to swim better. True story… registering for a parachute course at the time gave her access to the public swimming pool in her local town in Romania. She still swims terribly, but she can swoop a pond like a boss! BOOM! She was part of the Skydive Dubai Swoop Team from 2013 till 2016, which just enhanced her drive to compete and become the best that she could be. Now this Swooperwoman has more world records and distance records to her name than metres in a swimming pool (no idea if that’s true or not, but we’re rolling with it). Cornelia has over 14,000 jumps, has been based in Dubai for the past 8 years and is a professional canopy pilot, Tandem and AFF Instructor. She also soars her speedwing, flies some VFS in the tunnel, has been part of vertical world records and can turn belly points like a boss…is there anything she can’t do?! When she’s not smashing the competition at a swoop event she likes Muay Thai, long walks on the beach (but definitely NOT running) and going to the cinema for caramel popcorn. Fun fact: She has a dog named Punky in Spain who disappeared for over 3 years then magically reappeared! Some friends take care of her there.
Awards: PD TVEIR (Sebastian, 2018 ) | 3rd place Team “For the ‘gram” , teammate Chris Stewart | US Nationals (Sebastian, 2018) – 1st place | FLCPA 6 (SEBASTIAN, 2018) – 1st place | Swoop Freestyle FAI World Championships (San Diego, 2018) – Bronze Medal | 7th FAI World Canopy Piloting Championships (Poland, 2018) – Bronze Medal (team ranking) | Skydive Flygang Canopy Piloting Open (Molinella, 2018) – 2nd place | 9th FAI World Cup (Dubai, 2017) – Silver Medal Overall | US Nationals (Raeford, 2017) – 2nd Place | The World Games (Poland, 2017) – Bronze Medal | Italian Nationals (Ravenna, 2017) – 1st Place | Australian Nationals (York, 2017) – 1st Place | French Nationals (Orleans, 2016 ) – 1st Place | 6th FAI World Championship (Canada, 2016) – Bronze Medal in Speed (the event hasn’t been completed due to weather) | Pink Open (Czech Republic, 2016) – 2nd place | World Games Test Event (Poland, 2016) – 1st Place | Italian Nationals (Ravenna, 2016) – 1st Place | US Nationals (Z-hills, 2016) – 1st Place | DISL 3 (Dubai, March 2016) – 1st Place | DISL 2 (Dubai, January 2016) – 3rd Place | World Air Games (Dubai, 2015) – Bronze Medal Overall, Gold Medal in Distance, Bronze Medal in Speed | 8th FAI World Cup (Canada, 2015) – Gold Medal in Distance | Pink Open (Czech Republic, 2015) – 2nd place | FLCPA 3(Raeford USA, 2015) – 1st Place | DISL 1(Dubai, 2014) – 3rd Place | PD Tveir (Z-hills, 2014) – 1st place (Team Halla Walla with Patrick Kaye) | 5th FAI World Championships (Z-hills, 2014) – Bronze Medal (first woman to ever win a medal at a Canopy Piloting World Championship) | French Nationals (Toulouse France, 2014) – 3rd Place | Pink Open (Czech Republic, 2014) – 3rd place | US Nationals (Z-hills, 2014) – 3rd place | FLCPA 5(Florida USA, 2014) – 3rd Place | RSA Nationals (Pretoria, 2014) – 1st Place | DISL 4(Dubai, 2014) – 2nd Place | DIPC 4 (Dubai, 2013) – Bronze Medal in Speed| Records| Current female distance world record: 165.10m | Current female speed world record: 2.273s (I am aiming to get the general World Records though, not just the female category) | Best performance in competition: Speed: 2.208s (DISL 1, Dubai, November 2014) | Distance: 166.49m (French Nationals, September 2016)
