For most people, the idea of jumping out of a plane with only a parachute between you and death is somewhere in the range from terrifying to horrifying. But for the Lemay family, Michel and his three sons it’s as natural as breathing. Father Michel Lemay became a skydiving addict in the 1970’s, and as his three sons came along, they joined him on his aerial adventures.
The three brothers, Benoit, Martin and Vincent, took to the air with their father almost as soon as they could walk. Now the Canadian Skydiving Champions are competing in the prestigious world championships, the Mondial, being held this year in Dubai.
Skydiving is a very serious athletic pursuit, and requires dedication, skill and of course, daring. The Canadian family are in full time training at their ground level training facility in Laval. Florida, and their dream is to be world champions.
Although the Lemay family began competing in 2006, it wasn’t until the youngest son, Benoit, was old enough to be allowed by competition rules to join them that they really began to fly as a competitive team. The addition of the Benoit to the lineup completed the family circle, and after completing just a hundred training jumps, the foursome achieved a stunning 18.7 average at their first Canadian National competition.
After representing Canada in the 2008 and 2010 World Championships and several other major competitions, the team really worked at honing their flying skills, including both the Four Way Open and the VFS events. Long and hard training both on the ground and in the air hones athletic skills, strength and timing. And of course, the unspoken communication that exists within a family, where instinctively each one knows the strengths and weaknesses of the other, is a large part of the secret of the Lemay’s success.
The team – named Evolution – is now in Dubai, and hoping that their dedication and family fellowship will pay off in the Mondial competition this time round. The remarkable Lemay family is a tribute to what can be achieved with hard work, dedication, and a shared dream.
