A Marbella businessman's stomach-churning skydive from 8km (25,000 feet) to say 'no' to bullying

Pancho Campo has become the first Spanish person over 60 years of age to perform a dangerous high-altitude jump such as this one

María Albarral

Marbella

Monday, 19 August 2024, 20:05

Marbella businessman Pancho Campo has jumped from eight kilometres high in a stomach-churning feat to raise awareness about bullying in Spain's schools and colleges.

Campo performed the epic 25,000-feet high skydive in the Danish city of Herning, at the Dropzone Denmark facility last week. Video footage of both the jump and his preparations leading up to it will be used to make a documentary about fear management and stress management with the aim of the production to raise awareness and stop bullying in educational facilities. "We have achieved our goal. The leap has been a success and we have declared no to bullying," said Campo.

The number of cases of bullying in Europe has increased, according to the latest data compiled by the World Health Organization. Its latest report shows one in six European teenagers are being bullied on social media.

"My intention is to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the mental health of future generations, to help them face their fears and manage their anxiety and stress," he said. Campo, who pointed out bullying had affected his own family, said facing fears is "one of the first challenges that every young person must overcome to achieve their goals and make their dreams come true".

The World Health Organization data shows the levels of bullying have remained the same since 2018; however, there has been an increase in cyberbullying. According to a study, 3% of 15-year-olds in Spain claim to have been bullied at school at least two or three times a month.

The leap

The feat means Campo has become the first Spanish person over 60 years of age to skydive in the Halo (High Altitude Low Opening) mode. This was until recently a military speciality for infiltrating enemy lines by jumping from more than 25,000 feet.

"This type of jump is considered one of the most dangerous, as the parachutist needs to use sophisticated oxygen equipment to prevent hypoxia," Campo pointed out.

He is a certified parachutist by the American Parachuting Association and has a track record of some 250 parachute jumps, for which he had a Spanish champion among his teachers. To take on this challenge, he underwent a gruelling physical and mental training programme, as well as familiarising himself with the oxygen equipment.

Campo's sporting career is not limited to skydiving. He has climbed glaciers and participated in expeditions in the Arctic, Africa, Iceland, Greenland and the Caribbean. He has also been a professional tennis player as well as a coach and director of Nick Bollettieri's tennis academy in Europe and was captain of the Chilean Olympic tennis team in Barcelona in 1992.

This background and current work as an organiser of informative events at the first American high school and university in Andalucía, The American College in Spain, in Marbella, led to him developing a training programme called Smile (Stress, Motivation, Inspiration, Leadership and Energy), which he considers useful for dealing with difficult bullying situations.

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