Melanie Curtis
and
Erin Murphy
Elsinore Gravity teammates, Melanie
Curtis (Point) and Erin Murphy
(Outside Center) are the Tunnel
Mafia Sisters of the Month for
August. These two girls both have
incredible sky and tunnel flying
skills, but their beautiful
personalities are even more
impressive.
Melanie is a champion skydiver,
having won silver in 2003 and gold
in 2004 Nationals Advanced 4-way
competition with her team Elsinore
Adrenaline. Despite her
medal-winning status, Mel is
extremely outgoing, humble,
friendly, helpful and happy to fly
with anyone of any skill level or
discipline, either in the sky or in
the tunnel. Her smiling eyes are
ever present, even during tunnel
league competitions, or while Mel is
coaching others. Melanie's happy,
excited enthusiasm and love of
flying is simply contagious. Skydive
Elsinore's Around the DZ pictures
and DZ forums are living proof of
Melanie's talented camera geeking
and jovial nature. Not only is there
always laughter and happiness
whenever Mel is flying in the tunnel
or sky, but she is also happiest
when flying.
Recently, Mel has even said goodbye
to corporate America to pursue her
dream of flying and working in the
skydiving industry (for Skydive
Elsinore) every day of the week as a
competitive skydiver, coach, LO and
events coordinator at Skydive
Elsinore.
In 2004, Mel, Erin, Lou and Steve of
Team Gravity, along with several
other experienced skydivers, began a
new 2-way camp at Elsinore called
ExCel. The ExCel camp flourishes in
large part due to the positive
attitude of all the coaches, one of
which is Mel's own teammate, Erin
Murphy.
Erin is definitely the person to go
to for any kinds of mid-week tunnel
mixers with ExCel. While she is more
soft-spoken and shy than Melanie,
Erin is still quite supportive of
fellow flyers, loves flying with
anyone and has great advice to give.
Erin simply lights up in the tunnel,
adeptly belly flying, sit flying,
back flying, bootie-flying and soon
to be head-down flying. She is most
definitely a wonderful 4-way
competitor, as well as an impressive
tunnel flyer, as demonstrated by her
various wins in the Tunnel League's
Open division competitions.
Furthermore, the tunnel is the place
where Erin really has blossomed
quickly into her own, learning
flying skills quickly that would
normally take much longer to learn
in the sky. (She only began to jump
in 2001 and began to fly in the
tunnel the same year.) Erin's
dedication to excellence is
evidenced in her past skills camps,
present team training, current
dedication to learning to freefly in
the tunnel and even by her
participation in fun sessions, like
Tunnel League meets or her mixers.
Both Erin and Melanie are all about
helping others with their flying
skills and working on their own
skills, yet having the most possible
fun while learning. Furthermore,
their down-to-earth personalities
have helped the both of these ladies
to encourage many new female flyers,
as well as male flyers, to believe
in themselves, to have fun and to
work hard. After having offered so
much support and happiness to so
many people, it's now our turn to
acknowledge our wonderful friends
for the exceptional women that they
are. Thank you Elsinore Gravity
Girls, Erin Murphy and Melanie
Curtis. May you both continue to
shine and to excel.
Collage and written editorial by: R.
Alva
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