Ten years ago on 26th September 2009, 181 women from 31 countries leapt out of nine planes from 17,000 feet (5.18km) above Perris Valley, California, USA and jumped straight into the record books for being part of the largest formation skydive in the World. Their jump record still hasn’t been beaten. 

• See record file

The charity organiser, Jump for the Cause, raised an incredible $900,000 for breast cancer research and prevention. As well as raising awareness and international media coverage for breast cancer, the project pushed women’s skydiving to the foreground and increased the women’s world record by a huge 20%.

The organiser of the record, Kate Cooper-Jensen, looks back on what the jump achieved:

Jump for the Cause is probably the most important event I've had the privilege to be part of. Raising both money AND awareness for Breast Cancer while getting to set multiple records with some of the best skydivers in the world was an amazing experience. I'm proud and humbled to have made history with Jump for the Cause.

Pink Skies – a documentary film about the event – was produced by skydiver Gulcin Gilbert. Featuring incredible footage from the world’s top aerial cinematographers, the film traces the inspirational story of Ruth, a breast cancer survivor, as she prepares to take part in the skydive.

To mark the 10-year anniversary, Pink Skies is hosting events in eight drop zones around the world during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, during which the award-winning documentary will be screened for free.

It is hoped that other records will be set, including state/country women’s skydive formation records, 4+ Women RW Sequential Formations, Parahelion Chase Canopy Challenge, Head Down, Sit, Canopy Formation/Sequential and Wind Tunnel Flight.

Jump for the Cause was formed in 1999, setting an initial record of a 118-way formation.