Australian Base Jumper James Nowland Dies In Competition Accident In Northern Italy

An Australian who reportedly died earlier this week successful an mishap astatine a title successful bluish Italy has been remembered arsenic a much-loved personnel of nan world Base jumping community.

James Nowland, 42, died connected Wednesday aft jumping from nan highest of Sass Pordoi successful nan Dolomites region during nan Pordoi Base race, Italy’s Ansa news agency reported.

It was suggested Nowland’s parachute whitethorn not person opened successful clip owed to a method issue. According to nan report, doctors tried to revive nan Perth man, who collapsed astatine an altitude of astir 1,700 metres, but were incapable to do so.

It was reported that Nowland was portion of a group of chap Australians based successful Lupo Bianco, wherever he was scheduled to onshore earlier he collapsed astir 400 meters from nan landing point.

The Australian Base Association connected Friday described Nowland arsenic an “experienced and loved personnel of nan worldwide Base jumping community”.

A spokesperson for nan relation said Nowland had been “jumping for galore years” and “loved spending clip pinch his friends successful nan beautiful upland environments of Europe”.

“All Base jumpers judge that nan activity has risks, but this mishap has still travel arsenic a shock,” nan spokesperson said. “Our thoughts are pinch his family and each others who knew James astatine this difficult time.”

Base jumping is an utmost recreational athletics that involves jumping disconnected elevated fixed objects utilizing parachutes aliases wingsuits. Base is an acronym for building, antenna, span (meaning bridges) and world (referring to cliffs).

The Pordoi Base title involves nan world’s “top wingsuit athletes racing against each different to go nan fastest successful nan world”, according to nan event’s website.

Racers jump from nan apical of nan mountain, alert arsenic accelerated arsenic they tin crossed nan crushed to nan decorativeness statement and deploy their parachutes to onshore safely, nan website said.

Guardian Australia contacted nan arena organisers for comment.