The Wanaka resident will represent New Zealand at the Canopy Piloting World Championships in Montreal, which start on August 20.
Canopy piloting is a form of skydiving where a pilot’s ability to fly through a set course is tested.
The competition has three rounds and pilots are tested on their speed, accuracy through the course and how quickly they stop.
Pilots travel at more than 100kmh and courses are set above artificial ponds for safety.
Even though he has more than 4500 jumps and seven years’ experience of skydiving, the championships would be the first time Mr Kum had represented New Zealand, having taken up canopy piloting two years ago.
It was another way to enjoy something he loved, he said.
Because the sport was small in New Zealand, he competed at the Australian national championships to qualify for the world championships.
"A couple of my buddies were doing it and I wanted to give it a go and just really loved it," he said.
As well as training, Mr Kum, an instructor at Skydive Wanaka, needed to raise $10,000 to travel to and compete in the championships.
A fundraising page had been set up on the Givealittle website and Mr Kum had taken to the streets of Wanaka with a bucket to sell raffle tickets.
"It’s an expensive sport but I couldn’t pass it up. You don’t know if it will come up again," he said.
