FOR one Wodonga grandmother, the sky’s the limit.
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Sandra Northey, who retired mid-last year at age 53, will pursue her love of extreme sports in Europe next month.
She will do a base jumping course, her first wingsuit base jump and a paragliding acrobatic course over six months.
“I sold my law firm so I could focus on my passion for extreme sports,” she said.
“I am now preparing for my trip of a lifetime to Europe (Croatia, Italy and Turkey) from May to October.”
She said she looked forward to her first base jump in a wingsuit.
“I’ve done 23 base jumps without wingsuits,” Ms Northey said.
“I’ve only had one accident and I’ve learnt things from that.
“It’s all about risk management and if one or more factors aren’t right for you, you don’t jump.”
Ms Northey got her scuba diving and private pilot’s licences before having her children, Jerrome, Jackie and Daniel.
“I have been flying since I was 23 and scuba diving from 18 but I slowed down a bit when I had my kids,” she said.
“It’s a shame people give up when they get over 50 and think the best part of their life is behind them because it doesn’t have to be that way.
“Where there’s a will there’s a way.”
A grandmother to Deekyn, 6, and Larissa, six months, Ms Northey said she stayed active, ate a healthy diet and rarely drank alcohol.
“These are the sacrifices and they’re worth it,” she said.
“You feel alive and wonderful, doing something unique and invigorating.
“Your whole system is on sensory overload.
“There’s no fear; you’re highly alert and very much in the moment as you need to be to stay alive.”
To follow Ms Northey’s progress in Europe from May 4 visit sandyathlete.com.
Ms Northey will travel with partner Tom Ridgeway, who has 2000 paragliding hours under his belt.
She said she would need to take 25 kilograms of base jumping equipment and 15 to 20 kilograms of paragliding equipment.
“I’ll be joining Tom paragliding in Annecy and Charmaine in France and Bassano del Grappa,” she said.
“I’ll be doing acrobatic paragliding tours in Turkey in October.”