Jackie Smith, British Parachute Association D-1113, first began skydiving in the British military Women’s Royal Army Corps. She joined her nation’s Red Devil Free Fall Display Team in 1971 and two years later became the first woman to receive the parachute regiment’s red beret. Smith competed in style, accuracy and formation skydiving over many years on the BPA’s teams. In 1978, she won gold in women’s accuracy (her score also beat all the men’s scores) at the World Parachuting Championships in Yugoslavia and became the first skydiver to hit dead-center on the electronic scoring pad in all ten rounds, earning her a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. Less than a year later, she won gold and silver medals in formation skydiving at international meets. After retiring from competition, she became renowned throughout the European community as a coach for budding competitors.
