Coach Brad Gilbert makes first (and probably last) skydive -- Press Clips

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http://www.news24.com/News24/Sport/More_Sport/0,,2-9-32_1405005,00.html

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Andy takes coach to new heights
21/08/2003 13:20 - (SA)

New York - Brad Gilbert has survived his first - and surely last - parachute jump after losing a bet with star pupil Andy Roddick.

Gilbert took a tandem leap hooked up to an instructor on Tuesday high over New Jersey before the run-up to next week's US Open gets serious.

Roddick, seeded fourth at the Grand Slam after winning titles in three of his last four events, won a private wager with his coach by lifting the Masters title in Montreal this month.

Gilbert, deathly afraid of heights, agreed to make the leap with his star pupil on another chute.

But its doubtful the 42-year-old Gilbert will be following Roddick's new-found passion for skydiving.

"It was miserable," said the coach without hesitation. "The jumpsuit was uncomfortable and it was very hot. We went from 13 500 to 5 000 feet, falling 8 500 feet in a minute, 10 seconds. There was 30 seconds of free-falling. I was just breathing hard."

But it got worse: "The last six minutes was the worst six minutes of my life," said Gilbert, happy to get his feet back on the ground.

"Once I landed I got heavy motion sickness and then I laid down. I was there for 20 minutes; Andy said that was the first time he saw me not saying a thing," added the legendary talker on any subject.

"I was sweating profusely. I was in the car for 500 yards and then I said to pull over and I blew chunks."

Roddick intends to carry on with his own skydiving after jumping for the first time in December with a buddy who is in the Army. The player, who turns 21 next week, followed up a few weeks later with entertainer girlfriend Mandy Moore - and her parents.

He made one more jump, another tandem, from 12 000 - 15 000 feet hooked up with a pro. Roddick's first chance to go solo won't come until he's completed six tandem jumps.

Roddick followed up his skydiving by opening the Nasdaq Composite Index on Wednesday, appearing at the exchange's electronic site in New York's Times Square along with Nasdaq-100 tournament chairperson and founder Butch Buchholz and Nasdaq Executive Vice President Bruce Aust.

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The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Blahr 0]

Why would he have to make 6 tandems before he can do a solo jump?

[jtval 0]

6 tandems? surely they are mistaken.

glad he liked the jumps

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[PhillyKev 0]

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6 tandems? surely they are mistaken.

glad he liked the jumps

Or he's doing AFP and didn't do the jumps within 30 days. I did 4 because it was more than 30 days between my first and second, so had to start over.

[Remster 30]

so where did he jump... XKeys?

Remster

[newshooter12 0]

nope... I happen to be there with a friend visiting another jumper and the locals were talking about the young golfer that made a jump. I wouldn't have even noticed if it weren't for his driver being all dressed up.

[WayneRATS 0]

hehe

why did he have his golf clubs with him?
and more to the point why ws one of them dressed up

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Can You Ere Me Now?

[newshooter12 0]

I don't know about the clubs, but when he was leaving his driver opened the back car door for him, closed it and got into the front to drive away.
The driver was a professional and wanted to present himself that way... Probably what the nice attire was for... The golfer was dressed like a pretty normal 21-year-old the way most tandem students show up to make their jumps... sneakers and nothing else special.

[vonSanta 0]

I have more jumps than a tennis star.

In my book that makes me cooler and my life richer.

I shall now put my hands on my ears and blabber profusely to deafen the rational voices.

Aaah, bliss.

Santa Von GrossenArsch
I only come in one flavour
ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst