posted Jan 21st, 2012 - Arizona Airspeed is still the top favorite for the Shamrock Showdown 2012, despite the impressive scoring by Aerodyne Aerokart and NMP-PCH Hayabusa at the 3rd Dubai Championship 2011.

According to the first results of the Shamrock poll Airspeed is almost exactly as far ahead of the two other teams as the same poll showed last year before the same event. Airspeed then also won as clearly as the poll results predicted. Only the positions for France and Belgium are switched this time. The audience expects the French team in 2nd place, just as it was after ten tounds last year. However, the pressure is on for Airspeed...

Arizona Airspeed has actually never been expected at a different position than on the vey top of the leaderboard in the history of NSL Polls prior to any major events. Airspeed has surely built the best reputation for a winning team in the history of the sport, not only in 4way Formation Skydiving competition.

That's enough reason for the NSL News to go back to an earlier topic. The story on 8 November 2011 took a closer look at the times when Airspeed was sweeping all four Formation Skydiving events at the USPA Nationals.

Airspeed is still the only team that has ever accomplished victories in 4way, 8way, 10way and 16way at the same event, and Airspeed did that four times (2000, 2001, 2007, 2008).

This success was no coincidence. It was based on great planning, which began after Airspeed extended its competition program to 8way in the late 90s and built a large group of world class skydivers in Arizona. The first sweep happened a year after the first Airspeed 8way gold medals in Australia and a year before Airspeed would win the World Championship 4way title in Spain and the silver medals in 8way.

It was similar in 2007/2008 when Airspeed swept the USPA Nationals once again and won 4way gold medals in Maubeuge in 2008. In fact, all USPA sweeps happened after the 8way extension and in the 2-year periods when Airspeed would win 4way gold medals at the World Championships.

There is more to this sweeping story. There are only two Airspeed members who were on all winning lineups in all categories at those four USPA Nationals, and both of them also won the 4way gold medals for Airspeed in 2001 and 2008: Craig Girard and Mark Kirkby. Only one of them is even still competing for Airspeed, Mark Kirkby. Both will meet each other again at the Shamrock Showdown 2012, Craig Girard as the coach for Dubai's Asaar Red team, Mark Kirkby as the Tail for Airspeed.

John Eagle, Mark Kirkby, Craig Girard, Neal Houston and Marc Steinbaugh on camera won the USPA Nationals 2000 and started the first Airspeed sweep. Neal Houston did not compete in 8way and was replaced by 8way veteran Gary Beyer. Kirk Verner, Jack Jafferies, Alan Metni and Dan BC completed the 8way lineup, with Steve Nowak on camera, and won the second set of USPA gold medals in 2000.

Neal Houston was back in the 10way lineup where 8way videographer Steve Nowak had his own slot, while Marc Steinbaugh was filming. Gary Beyer was back on the bench as the alternate, Christopher Irwin and Chad Smith completed the 10way lineup and won the 3rd set of gold medals.

Steve Nowak continued in 16way, and all 12 Airpeed members were joined by the complete PD Blue lineup: Shannon Pilcher, Kyle Collins, Ian Bobo, David VanGreuningen. Marc Steinbaugh was once again on camera, and Airspeed completed the first sweep in history with the gold medals in 16way.

Craig Girard and Mark Kirkby were still with Airspeed at the last USPA sweep in 2008. Andy Delk and Eliana Rodriquez were now in the 4way lineup and had won the gold medals at the World Meet 2008 in Maubeuge. Steve Nowak was filming the first part of the Airspeed sweep in 2008.

Dan BC, Jack Jefferies, Dennis Rook and Brian Johnson joined the Airspeed 4way lineup to win the USPA 8way gold medals in 2008, with Steve Nowak again on camera. Jack Jefferies and Dan BC were now a part of the Airspeed sweep for the 4th time, together with Craig Girard and Mark Kirkby.

Eliana Rodriguez did not compete in 10way that year. Todd Hawkins, Christopher Irwin, John Eagle, Gary Beyer, John Hamilton, Will Pesek and Michael Inabinet won the gold medals in 10way, with three 4way members and Steve Nowak on camera. Dennis Rook came back in for 16way, together with the complete Perris Fury lineup of 2008 (Joshua Hall, Ulrich Steuwe, Christy Frikken, Chris Farina). Scott Latinis, John Eagle, Dan BC and Mike Inabinet completed the 16way lineup and the Airspeed sweep. Steve Nowak filmed the complete sweep and won four USPA gold medals in 2008, together with Andy Delk, Craig Girard and Mark Kirkby.

Those were four very impressive years for Arizona Airspeed. It was probably much easier to win the complete set of USPA Formation Skydiving gold medals in 2000 and 2001 when Airspeed had well trained lineups in both 4way and 8way. It was different in 2007 and 2008 when Airspeed focused only on 4way, which was rewarded with the world meet gold medals in Maubeuge.

Then the Golden Knights launched their 8way project in 2009, which made it even more difficult to win all USPA events from then on. Craig Girard and Mark Kirkby won a total of 16 USPA gold medals in those four years and added several others at the USPA Nationals where Airspeed did not sweep the FS events.

Times have changed now, as the Golden Knights began charging at the USPA Nationals 2010. Airspeed won three events, but the US Army team won in 8way and took all 2nd places behind Airspeed. Mark Kirkby's 4way gold medal with the new Airspeed lineup in 2011 just avoided the first sweep of the Golden Knights who won the three other events...