Anna Lea is a (fast!) force of nature
Name: Anna Lea
Birthplace: Shrewsbury, UK
Current home DZ: Netheravon, UK
Jumps: 6,800
Cutaways: Five, or thereabouts
Sponsorships: Sun Path Containers, Cookie Helmets, Vigil AAD, LB Altimeters, Tony Suits, Jyro Canopies, with some support from Army Sport and NFTO clothing in the past.
Teams: NFTO (Not For The Ordinary) – World Champion in Female 4-Way FS 2022, and a total of 9 FAI World Medals over the 10 years NFTO has been running. Prior to that: Team Bodyflight Isis and Army Nemesis.
Gear
Main: Crossfire 2/3 109
Container: Javelin Odyssey
Reserve: Optimum 113
AAD: Vigil
1. Where, when and why did you make your very first jump?
Skydive Sebastian, May 2002. I was a Point Break convert. I was on an army trauma placement in Washington DC as a medical student and then made the most of my time in the US, whizzed down to Sebastian, and did my AFF.
2. What are your favourite things to do when you’re not jumping?
Running, spending time with my partner Alex, and quality time with close friends.
3. What philosophy guides your life in general? If different, what philosophy guides your life in skydiving?
Work hard, play hard.
4. What items on your “skydiving CV” are you proudest of?
World Champion 2022 in Female 4-Way. European Bronze in Female Speed 2025. HALO doctor on Mission Impossible 6: Fallout.
I got into speed skydiving because of Alex. I cheer-led him at the World Cup of Speed Skydiving 2023, then gave it a go myself. I really enjoy applying the focus, discipline, and competitive appetite I have from high-level 4-way into a new discipline.
I love 4-way and love NFTO (NFTO is still competing indoors – we finished 5th in the Open Category at the Indoor World Champs 2025 after minimal training and were pretty content with that). However, over the past few years, speed has been more compatible with concurrently trying to start a family. If I suddenly need to stop jumping, I’m only affecting my own training and competition timetable, rather than impacting an entire team plan. Not an issue that often affects male athletes, but a huge consideration for many female athletes.
The UK and world speed scene is really friendly; it’s a very social discipline. You end up mixing with athletes from other nations a lot, as it’s almost more like one big family, since it’s made up of individual athletes and you all get together frequently. And although it’s not perceived as a classical “team” discipline, there is still a great team approach in supporting your fellow British/army teammates. Alex and I obviously work particularly closely as we’ve done a lot of competitions together now, coaching, mentoring and supporting each other.
It’s also great to see the significant growth of speed in the UK over the last two years, which Alex and I have really focused on and promoted. UK Speed Nationals has gone from just five competitors in 2023 to being the world’s biggest speed nationals in 2025, with 20 competitors, and 24 competitors at the 2025 Armed Forces Championships.
5. Who have been your mentors in the sport, and what was the most important lesson each of them taught you?
Gary Smith: 4-way coach and life coach. We call him Uncle Gary for his wisdom. Claire “Sparky” Scott and Sarah Smith: coaches in my early years of 4-way and my inspiration for chasing 4-way World Championship titles. And all of my NFTO teammates over the years. I’ve learnt from them all, especially the awesome 2018/2022 line-up – they are all incredibly resilient warriors.
6. What would you like every new skydiver to know?
Don’t turn low!
7. What about the sport would you most like to change?
NGB politics.
8. What has been your most challenging moment in the sport, and why?
Getting to the start line of the World Championships 2022 with our incredibly close and strong team, NFTO (IYKYK).
9. What’s the next challenge you’ve set for yourself?
A World Championships podium in a second discipline (speed).
10. What does it mean to you to be a British skydiver?
Proud to wear the Union Flag on my jumpsuit.
