What You Missed at ESS 2026 (and what I’ll remember most)

When you set the bar as high as ESS did in 2024, the next edition has one job: prove it wasn’t a one-off. That was the reality heading into ESS 2026 in Seville. The 2024 edition in Warsaw captured major attention across the sport, not just in Europe, but internationally, and in a way that was impossible to ignore. Word of mouth did what it always does when something is done right. It spread fast.

And with that kind of buzz comes a very real challenge. How do you deliver a sequel without falling into the “bigger, louder, more dramatic” trap that leaves people saying, “Yeah, but the last one had more heart”?

It would have been tempting to treat 2026 like a production that needed more smoke, more lights, and more spectacle. The problem with that approach is you can accidentally trade substance for show.

Fortunately, the organizers leaned into what actually makes a conference exceptional: care, by way of empathy, and details. They clearly put themselves in the shoes of the people who make this event what it is: attendees, sponsors, speakers, manufacturers, and volunteers. And they asked the only question that matters when you are building an experience:

If we were them, what would we want?

The answer was not complicated, but it was ambitious. Bring together the best minds in skydiving. Deliver a venue that exceeded expectations in every way, and set a new bar for what a skydiving conference can feel like. Make space for movie premieres and parties. And because this is Seville, do not treat the city as a backdrop. Let the culture be part of the experience.

Photo by Ioannis Vlachiotis

That mix is hard to pull off. ESS made it feel natural.

Unlike many conferences, you could step outside the conference center and immediately be in the middle of great food and the kind of atmosphere that reminds you you are not just “traveling for work.” It felt like a cultural immersion alongside an immersion into every angle of skydiving. And honestly, that combination matters. It changes the entire week.

First Impressions

The opening ceremony delivered a first impression I will not forget.

The staging had such a wow factor that for a moment I felt like I was at a tech conference in Vegas, not a skydiving conference in Spain. Then, flamenco dancers took the stage, and the room was instantly locked in. The energy was real. Everyone felt it.

From there, the conference did what the best events do: it never lost momentum.

Regan Tetlow brought his own signature presence as he introduced the keynote. Pete Allum stepped up first, one of the most respected skydivers in our sport, and shared a clear perspective on where we have been and where we are going. Then Bill Booth followed with a History of Skydiving presentation. Two heavy hitters right out of the gate.

And the heavy hitters kept coming.

The Films and the Feeling in the Room

One of the moments that will stick with me most happened away from the podium.

The 400-way World Premiere was released at this event, and it hit the room in two very different ways, both powerful. For those who were on it, there were tears. For those who knew little about it, there was that rare kind of awe that only comes when you realise you are watching something historic.

And then there was Norman Kent, showcasing his artistry in a way only Norman can. He presented films that an older generation of jumpers have seen hundreds of times, and a newer generation had not seen at all. Yet everyone could appreciate them, not just for the flying, but for how much fun a different era of skydiving had. The gear changes. The aircraft change. The spirit does not. That same spirit lives on.

Pace, Momentum, and the ESS Energy

Each day ran strong from morning to late afternoon, followed by raffles and prizes that had people sticking around until the end. The week had the pace of a boogie where the aircraft never stop turning. Loads going up, hot fueling, no shutdowns, and no lull in the vibe. The moment an aircraft shuts down, everyone feels the energy drain from the dropzone. ESS never had that feeling. It just kept moving, day after day. By the end of each afternoon, people were socially exhausted in the best way, and mentally drained from the firehose of great information packed into a tight agenda.

By the Numbers

• 852 people registered
  
• 61 speakers
  
• 53 countries represented
  
• Most miles traveled to attend: 12 400 (New Zealand)
  
  

Closing Thoughts

I heard amazing presentations at ESS 2026. I took notes. I left with ideas. I left inspired.

But what will stand out to me the most is the new friendships.

I met people from all over the world, and not in the casual “nice to meet you” way that fades when you get home. I met people I will be connecting with for years to come. That is the part of ESS that is hard to describe on a schedule or a speaker list, but it is the thing that stays with you.

The next edition is already on my list. If you care about skydiving, care about learning, and care about being around people who are pushing the sport forward, I can’t recommend it more.