Cam Still On A High After 'absolutely Ridiculous' Skydive

Illawarra Mercury

Tuesday February 26, 2008

Basketball with Tim Keeble

HAWKS free agent Cam Rigby's skydive drew a curious audience last week at Stuart Park.

The uncontracted forward jumped from a plane for the first time - strapped to an instructor - and was welcomed back to terra firma by Hawks team-mates John Philip, Mat Campbell, assistant coach Kevin Brooks and former Wollongong centre Tony Rampton.

Despite being a little pale and dry in the mouth, Rigby was keen to describe his 4.2km jump and the moments leading up to take-off.

"It was absolutely ridiculous," he said, adrenaline still pumping.

"It builds. You get strapped and harnessed and you get told what's going to happen, and it's sort of all theoretical at that point. Then you see the video and you know it's getting more and more real. Then you see the plane and that's when everything really kicks in.

"You take off and they tell you how high you're getting and then it happens. The whole side of the plane rolls up like a door and then people started vanishing out the door. We went last. It was insane. You shuffle up to the edge and it's ... it was an unnatural act, completely the wrong thing to be doing.

"It built the most intense combination of fear and excitement and range of emotions I've ever had.

"I'd do it again. I highly recommend it," he said.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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