In a stable, head down position, the human body has an average terminal speed of around 240-290 km/h (around 150-180 mph). Further minimizing body drag and streamlining the body position allows the skydiver to reach higher speeds in the vicinity of 480 km/h (300 mph).

During competition, they each have 8 jumps to attempt their fastest speed. This is measured by a Speed Measuring Device worn on their helmet. This device has GPS positioning and the judges can use the data to view the speed reached on each jump.  The fastest 3 seconds for each jump is what is used to determine their score.