Report: Skydiving record of 600 jumps set

INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- An Arizona man is claiming a new world record for skydiving with more than 600 jumps in a 24-hour period.

The Indianapolis Star said Jay Stokes of Yuma set the apparent new Guinness World Record in rural Greensburg, Ind., parachuting to the ground "between 635 and 645" times, breaking his old record of 534 jumps in 24 hours.

The Herculean effort required precision and timing. To set the new record, he had to complete a jump every 2 minutes, 24 seconds; at that rate, he needed to jump 26 times per hour to reach the 600-jump mark, besting his old record set in California in 2003, the newspaper said.

With the help of his team, the skydiving instructor was able to accomplish his goal and raise money and awareness for the Special Olympics, a cause near his heart, the report said. His son is disabled.