The Lunatic Fringe Podcast

Starting his skydiving journey later in life than most has given Marshall west a bit of a different perspective on our sport. Growing up in Northern California as an avid skateboard and water sports enthusiast, Marshall definitely had outlets during his younger years. It wasn't until after he was deep into family life that skydiving entered the picture, but his initial impression of the sport didn't really draw him in. Until that first jump. That was as the saying goes, all she wrote. Purchasing altimeters and eyeing rigs before he was even through AFF, there was no doubt in his mind that skydiving was his new passion. Happily willing to admit this may have come about as a midlife crisis, it's a crisis Marshall intends to stretch out as long as he can during his journey with the Lunatic Fringe.

Another kick ass mid-week reboot with Ivo Ninov!

A climber since he was very young, Ivo Ninov had to learn to overcome his fear of heights in order to follow his passion, and overcome he did. Without any real pretense or ego Ivo will tell you about his countless climbs in Yosemite, setting record after record up some of the most formidable rock on the planet. As member of "The Stone Monkey's", He, Ammon McNeeley, Nicola Martinez and two other world class climbers set their sites on BASE as a means of "transportation" back down the mountain when their climbing day was done; but Ivo will be the first to tell you that skydiving didn't come naturally to him, and was one of the hardest learning experiences of his life. Yet this, just like most every other goal he's set for himself was one that he achieved, going on to mark his path in the BASE world as one of the top athletes of his time. Join us on this episode as we get a look at Ivo's continuing path on the Lunatic Fringe.

Now a rightful and somewhat overdue inductee to the prestigious skydiving Hall of Fame, the one and only Omar Alhegelan takes the opportunity to sit down and talk about his origins in the sport and incredible opportunities along the way, as well as those he continues to push towards. From his almost predestined beginnings helping to mold what has become modern day freeflying to helping guide such groundbreaking events such as Everest Skydive, Omar continues onward with his quest to do of all things, make a really cool skydives! As welcoming and gracious as ever, Omar Alhegelan not only continues to be a wonderful ambassador for skydiving across the ages, but just another big kid enjoying his journey with the Lunatic Fringe. 

Another kick ass mid-week reboot with Luigi Cani!

Fear.  It's the one thing that the best in our sport have had to contend with, but for Luigi Cani it was almost too much.  Having started his skydiving career with static line jumps that terrified him, he couldn't understand why something inside him kept pushing him back into the airplane, regretting it almost every time. Yet it was that same fear that taught him just how valuable and special the path he had found could be, and what has driven him through an amazing 25 years in our sport.  Not satisfied with the ordinary now anymore than he has been at any other point in his career, the soon to be 50 year old icon in our sport is beginning his training toward yet another possible world record on the 34, with a firm grip on his goals deep in the Lunatic Fringe.

Full send. Even before that was a thing, that was Jamie Leibert. Not one to mince words, he'll be the first to tell you he's had more than his fair share of trouble and the first to take responsibility. Starting out young breaking bones on the back of a bike, it wasn't school or sports that drove him, it was trouble. Fighting, parties and drugs were his path, and it turned out to be a path that led him inevitably to prison; but it was the simple act of climbing a rock, and then skydiving that eventually showed Jamie that there were other ways to do it. In one of the most high energy episodes yet, not only does what he loves about skydiving come out, but what he hates. How his passions eventually turned from raging weekends of jumping and drugs at the DZ to traveling at first the country and then eventually  the world with his wife and partner in adventure. Now successfully managing life and a social media presence as Captain Manicorn, there's no doubt that Jamie Leibert is on the Lunatic Fringe route for life. 

Another kick ass mid-week reboot with Curt Bartholomew!

Embry-Riddle. Not exactly what you would naturally think of as the training grounds for a world class canopy pilot. Perhaps a world class airline jock, or in his case even an air traffic controller, but not the founding member of one of the sports longest lived and most accomplished canopy pilot teams in the sport of skydiving.  Curt Bartholomew began his career just like the rest of us; with that first jump. but then again, most of us didn't try (and almost manage to succeed) to complete their entire AFF course in one day! From balls out as a student to balls out with Alter Ego, Curt has pushed his own personal limits and those of the sport for quite some time now, and he's got all the stories (and scars) to go along with it.  Enjoy Lunatic Fringe Into the Void with Mr. Curt Bartholomew.

Not even on the map.Skydiving was so far outside what Marie Clark thought possible that when the opportunity finally did arrive, she was both incredibly excited at the prospect and scared to the point of drafting a will. As expected, landing from that first jump set Marie on a path, but it was one that was derailed almost as soon as it truly began with medical issues that saw her not just in the hospital, but with a long road to recovery ahead. Her driving ambition for getting better was of course the goal of getting back in the air. As a successful wingsuit coach who never intended to wingsuit, an AFF instructor, an organizer, and now someone with world records on the horizon, Marie works hard at finding balance between her incredibly demanding “real world” career, and her desire to push forward with her ever growing career deep within the Lunatic Fringe. 

Another kick ass mid-week reboot with Jyro's Julien Peelman!

He might not be the best known name in the sport, and you've not seen him standing atop a podium after a sick canopy competition, but he's been there none the less.  Julien Peelman wasn't just creative in how he began his time in skydiving or even in how he got his gig with NZ Aerosports, but it's that exact creativity and training that has forever solidified his name and legacy in our sport. Designing wings that not only saves lives, but smash world records, he's put his skills to work on everything from the Petra to the Kraken and everything in-between, and he's helping keep himself and so many more happy and active with the Lunatic Fringe. 

Twenty six years and still going strong. When Matt Yount got his start in skydiving, tandems were just becoming a normal way to enter the game, and now… Now not only does Matt find himself a tandem examiner but he finds himself traveling the globe helping to share our sport with individuals and skydiving federations worldwide. With trips to incredible places like Nepal, Iceland, the Maldives, Egypt and many more, he is absolutely one of the authorities on what it takes to make it as an international tandem instructor. A lifelong member of the Lunatic Fringe, Matt may have a bunch of years behind him, but he'll still l be going strong for sometime to come. 

Another kick ass mid-week reboot with Highlight Pro Skydiving Team's one and only Kaz Sheekey!

Proper scared. Kaz Sheekey started out like I imagine a fair amount of us do in skydiving, but for her, just like most of us who decide to make a life out of it, that fear she felt on jump one became a positive driving force, not a deterrent. Immediately attracted to the lifestyle as well as her love of jumping, all it took was a "vacation" to the US to drive her into a 25 plus year love affair not just with skydiving, but with canopy piloting.  A kick ass competitor, Flight One instructor and demo team member to boot, as well as balancing life as a mom in these trying times, Kaz Sheekey takes a bit of her time to share with us her journey into the Lunatic Fringe.