Quick Facts
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Biography
Dwain Weston (31 January 1973 – 5 October 2003) was an Australian skydiver, BASE jumper and wingsuiter. On 5 October 2003, while participating in the inaugural Go Fast Games, Weston was killed attempting to fly over the Royal Gorge Bridge near Cañon City, Colorado, United States.
BASE jumping career
Weston, who was originally from Sydney, Australia, worked as a computer analyst. He made over 1200 BASE jumps in ten different countries, including a jump from the 73rd floor of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and was considered one of the best and most experienced BASE jumpers in the world. In 2002, he won the world title in BASE jumping. He served as president of the Australian BASE Association (ABA). He was among the first BASE jumpers to introduce acrobatic elements in the jumps, and was a pioneer in various jumping techniques.
Death
On 5 October 2003, while participating in the inaugural Go Fast Games, Weston was killed attempting to fly over the Royal Gorge Bridge near Cañon City, Colorado. Weston was wearing a wingsuit, a skydiving suit with fabric extended below the arms to the body and between the legs to catch air allowing for horizontal travel when skydiving. Weston was to go over the bridge while fellow skydiver Jeb Corliss was to go under it. Just prior to the jump, Weston said to Corliss, "Whatever happens happens".
Miscalculating the winds and his distance from the bridge, Weston struck a railing while traveling an estimated 120 mph (190 km/h), severing one of his legs at the hip. After the impact with the bridge, Weston's parachute deployed and he fell onto a rock face about 100 yards from the bottom of the gorge. Spectators on the bridge witnessed and filmed the event, capturing the reaction of the crowd and the damage to the bridge.While either impact would likely have killed him independently, it is assumed he was dead after impact with the bridge.
Prizes
- World BASE Cup 2002 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
- Xtreme Skydive - World Base Cup 2003 Championship (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 6 January 2003)