10 minutes with Julia Swallow

Part of the team behind Skydive Algarve in Alvor is also a world and British champion skydiver, a two-

time world record holder, has been a Bond girl and is due to be a mother for the second

time in April. We caught up with the local wonder woman…

1. How did you get into sky-diving?

I watched my brother do his first jump when I was 13. I vividly remember the smile on his

face when he hit the ground and I wanted that feeling. He bought me a static line jump for

my 16 th birthday. I got such a buzz from the experience and I wanted that sense of

achievement again and again. Eight thousand jumps later I am still going!

2. What are your skydiving accolades?

I first won the British Nationals with a female team in 2006. I then formed a mixed skydive

team with myself and three men called Satori. We won bronze at the world cup in 2012, and

went on to win the British nationals every year since 2009, apart from 2014 when I was

pregnant. I’m also the female world record holder for the highest number of points in a

competition and hold another world record for completing a formation with 121 skydivers.

3. What has been your most memorable jump?

When I was Halle Berry’s stunt double in Die Another Day. I was dressed up in a wig and

fake boobs, with a selection of knives in my belt. We acted the scene in South Korea when

Jinx (Berry) and Bond (Pierce Brosnan) jump out of a helicopter behind enemy lines. I had to

free-fall past a helicopter that contained all the cameramen in terrible visibility, so it was a

challenge!

4. How have you been able to go back to competing after having a baby? Many women say

they lose their nerve when they become a parent.

I just appeared in a BBC documentary alongside Jessica Ennis called <Britain in the Skies>

about this topic. They followed women getting back into competitive sport after becoming a

mother, and filmed me preparing for the British Nationals. I was determined to come back to

compete after having my daughter, Chloe. I’m certainly more conscious of safety being a

mother. I was in training when I found out I was pregnant the second time; I had no idea until

I realised my jumpsuit was starting to get a bit tight!

5. What made you move to the Algarve?

I came to train at the skydive centre in Alvor in 2010 and though it was incredible. Most drop

zones are in the middle of nowhere, so to have one in the centre of a tourist location near

the ocean is unique. We are now open 365 days a year and last year we did 60,000 jumps,

with people coming from all over the world.

We are a family company. My sister-in-law Hannah runs the business with my husband,

James (who is a pilot) and my parents in law. I am not involved with the day-to-day running

as I am so busy we my daughter and competing, but I chip in with my ideas!

6. What do you love most about living here?

It has to be the weather, doesn’t it? With so many sunny days it means you can jump more

and have a better view when you jump!

www.skydivealgarve.com

info@skydivealgarve.com

+351 914 266 832

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