The 20 Minute Call - A Skydiving Podcast

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode This episode features Doug Barron, an elite 4-Way Formation Skydiver. Starting at Virginia Tech in 2009, Doug led his collegiate team to unexpected victories at both the US Collegiate and National Championships. He continued his success with Team Skydive Chicago Rhythm XP, notably winning the 2019 US Nationals in a dramatic finish. Presently, Doug and his t...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Beau Riebe, a renowned air sport athlete, is famous for his exceptional flying skills and passion for aerial freedom, showcased vividly on Instagram. An adventurer at heart, Beau often explores breathtaking locales from Norway's mountains to Utah's canyons, skillfully evading the typical 9 to 5 routine. He's known for guiding newcomers in sky...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode In this episode of "The 20 Minute Call," we feature Albert Berchtold, Executive Director of the United States Parachute Association. Beginning his skydiving journey in 1999, Albert has accumulated over 6,000 jumps, notably at Skydive Cross Keys in New Jersey and DeLand, Florida. Beyond his aerial accomplishments, Albert has significantly contribut...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Leah Levy, is a trailblazer in skydiving who defies the conventional by carving out her own niche in the sport.  At 27, Leah is a company founder and a respected name in skydiving, collaborating with top industry brands. With over 1,600 jumps, she’s an FAA Senior Rigger and a go-to for military operations, besides being a skilled load organizer. She heads L...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Maxine Tate, a UK native and passionate skydiver, began her skydiving journey in university and reignited her love for the sport with a tandem jump in New Zealand. Under the mentorship of Mark Kirkby, she transitioned from a London corporate job to skydiving professionally, representing Australia in the 2008 World Meet and later instructing in the US. Forme...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Today, we delve into the life of Efrain Vega de Verona, a skydiver and modern-day humanitarian whose compassion extends beyond thrilling sports. Discover how his deeds, from aiding a grandmother during the New Zealand lockdown to providing relief in Puerto Rico post-Hurricane Maria, exemplify a life lived with purpose. Efrain's journey from a secure jo...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Meet Melanie Curtis: world record skydiver, leader of the Highlight Pro Skydiving team,  life coach, author, podcast host,  and speaker.  Melanie boasts 12,000  jumps and recognition from top media publications. She excels in coaching peak performance and personal freedom, inspiring many towards self-growth. Her story is a testament to passion, dedication,...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Buckle up for a fascinating interview with the King of All Boogies, Rich Grimm! You'll be fascinated to learn all that goes on behind the scenes of running the world's most famous boogies (there's a little bit of stress) as well as being a firefighter, DZO and restaurant owner! Rich knows how to tell a good story... buckle up for a great epis...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld, also known as "Dan BC" has over 30,000 skydives.  He's a three-time world champion, record-setter, and the guiding force behind Skydive Perris's global repute. Beyond his impressive accolades, Dan's enduring legacy is seen in the skydivers he's mentored and his inspiring book, "Above All Else." H...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode In the community of skydiving, Marc Tripari emerges as a luminary. Childhood escapades, like makeshift Superman jumps, paved the way for a 38-year passion, recording over 10,000 jumps. An audacious jump in his mid-20s was more than just youthful bravado; it set his life's trajectory. His unforgettable leap in 1997? A tandem jump diverting to the Kenned...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode In a world dominated by convention, Miles Daisher stands out. Raised in an adventurous Air Force family, he never settled for a regular 9 to 5. Instead, Miles pursued his passion for skydiving and BASE jumping, amassing over 10,000 skydives, 7,000 BASE jumps, and breaking records, including 63 BASE jumps in 24 hours in 2017. He's an innovator in the sp...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode On today's episode of the 20 Minute Call, we have a special guest who first caught my attention while watching Conan O'Brien's podcast on YouTube during the pandemic. With her unique hairstyle and quick wit, this woman had me laughing as she playfully debated with Conan about his hypothetical tandem skydiving skills. Since then, I've had...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Since his first jump in 1984, Mike Vetter has crafted a distinguished career as a skydiving competitor, coach, and multi-dropzone owner. Renowned as the founder of GoJump in Gransee, Germany, and the owner of GoJump America, he runs three respected dropzones in Oceanside, Las Vegas, and Hawaii. His accolades include 12-time Swiss champion, team captain of t...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode In today's episode of "The 20 Minute Call," we're thrilled to feature someone who is nothing short of a legend in the skydiving community: Melissa Nelson. To many, she is simply known as 'Melissa'—a testament to her unmistakable presence and influence in the world of aerial sports. With a reputation as an upbeat force, a vocal...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Born in Tempe, Arizona, Craig Girard made his first jump on March 14, 1981, at Sky Hi-Pioneer DZ, Phoenix, AZ, and has since accumulated over 32,000 jumps. His illustrious career spans more than four decades, and he has won numerous awards and championships, including US National Champion 8-way for an impressive 18 times, and US National Champion 4-way six...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode If you don’t know my guest today, you’ve likely taken a canopy course that was originally designed by him. In the early 2000s, Scott Miller was the face of formal canopy instruction. Using his signature Gatorz, and Keynote on his Mac, he taught thousands of civilian and military skydivers at more than 40 dropzones around the world how to be better, safety p...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Today's guest is a global ambassador for the sport and soon-to-be member of the International Skydiving Hall of Fame.  Within months of his introduction to skydiving, Shannon Pilcher began competing in 4-way FS. Between 2003 and 2010 as a 4-way FS and CP competitor, Shannon earned 14 first-place titles and three seconds, broke three world records, and...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Keri Bell is a trailblazer in our sport. As a third-generation skydiver, for her, skydiving isn’t a mere choice. It’s a legacy.  A legacy that traces back to her grandfather, Lenny Aikins, a World War II pilot who discovered his love for skydiving after his return from Europe. This passion was ingrained in her family's DNA, ultimately shaping Kapowsin...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Our first guest is like no other person in the sport due to his incredible enthusiasm, love for the sport and its people. Kamuran “Sonic” Bayrasli is the man behind the famous Ranch Pro Shop . “Buy Baby Buy.”  Since making his first jump at a small DZ in New Jersey in 1992, Sonic has accrued more than 7,000 jumps, become a Master Rigger with more than 3000...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Hi everyone, it’s James La Barrie from Beyond Marketing. I’m excited to share a passion project that’s been rolling around in my brain for years! A new skydiving podcast called the 20 Minute Call!  This podcast is focused on interviews with the people I’m most curious about. I’ll be taking a deep dive with them, not just talking about their skydiving accomp...