Kurt Isenbarger, a Golden Knight skydiver and Columbus-area resident, won the National Skydiving Championships in Ottowa, Ill., along with his nine team members.

The event took place Sept. 11 through 15, and the Golden Knights competed against 21 other teams.

The Golden Knights, also known as the U.S. Army Parachute Team, are employed by the U.S. Military. Isenbarger was deployed to Iraq last year during the holiday season. But when he isn’t abroad, Isenbarger spends time training and competing in jumps, such as the skydiving national championship.

“The Golden Knights are great ambassadors for the sport of skydiving. Both internationally and here in the U.S.,” said Ed Scott, director of the United States Parachute Association, in an e-mail.

To compete, skydivers jump off a plane and make geometric formations in the sky as they fall. Eight team members make formations, and one member records the routine. Because they fall at 120 mph, they have only 50 seconds to complete the task. The team with the most formations earns the most points.

With more than 550 skydivers from across the country in attendance, Nancy Koreen, director of Sport Promotion at the U.S. Parachute Association, said she thought nationals went well for the Golden Knights this year.

“Kurt and the guys do such a great job representing our sport and the spirit of the competition,” Koreen said.

The sport might seem like fun and games, but Isenbarger said he trains hard.

“The better shape you are in, the better you do in the sport, including mentally,” he said.

The team uses a patch of land in Laurinburg, N.C., to jump and practice formations. The Golden Knights typically jump 700 to 1,000 times a year, and that doesn’t include competition jumping.

Isenbarger also said the team conditions with a wind tunnel. A giant tube holds four large fans that push air up to create an indoor skydiving area.

Isenbarger began his adventures in skydiving 20 years ago this November. He made his first jump in Xenia, Ohio.

Though this was a big win for Isenbarger, it wasn’t his first championship. He took home his first one in 1999 and has won several events since.

For those serious about the sport, Isenbarger said they need to quit their job, plan to put a lot of money on their credit cards and jump.

“It’s a long road to get to competitive status,” Isenbarger said. “You have to commit yourself wholly to it and take little steps.”