posted Feb 29th, 2012 - The NSL News has given the unofficial amateur champions who compete in the Open Class competitions together with the pros a lot of attention in the past, at world championships and other international meets as well as at the USPA Nationals. One of the topics and team names that keeps coming back is Mass Defiance.

The 4way team from New England (Ben Liston, Jim Rees, John Silva, Brian Stephens, with Scuba" Steve Feldman on camera) posted a 19.3 average at the USPA Nationals 2007 that has been challenged several times and year by year by other "amateur teams". The record average is still standing after another challenge by Throw Down at the USPA Nationals 2011.

This time, Ari Perelman and Katie Woods tried to get to the 19.3 average, together with Ian Bobo and Kyle Collins, as the NSL News reported before last year's USPA Nationals in Eloy. Throw Down ended up three points short at a 19.0 average, the same finish that Arizona Diveworkz had at the USPA Nationals 2008.

USPA Nationals 2007		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	11,6,K	12,E,C,A	18,17,F	4,8,P	M,20,D,9	19,16,5	B,3,O,G	13,H,2	7,22,15	N,21,L,J	Total	Avg
1	Airspeed Odyssey	23	26	26	23	32	24	28	23	21	27	253	25.3
2	Fastrax	22	26	26	22	29	21	27	24	20	27	244	24.4
3	Golden Knights Black	20	25	24	23	29	21	25	21	19	23	230	23.0
4	Perris Fury	20	23	19	20	28	19	21	20	17	22	209	20.9
5	Arcteryx	20	22	22	21	24	19	22	19	16	23	208	20.8
6	Aerokart Seloger	18	21	16	18	26	19	24	18	17	22	199	19.9
7	Mass Defiance	18	20	18	18	25	16	22	19	15	22	193	19.3

SDC Rhythm XP followed up with an 18.1 average in 2009 before going full time a year later. DeLand Shmeland matched Rhythm's 18.1 average in 2010, and Throw Down brought it back up to AZDW's 19.0 average last year. Ari Perelman was on the DeLand Shmeland lineup in 2010 and knew how much the 19.3 average was in reach.

The 2011 project was a different one, as the lineup was stronger and more experienced but did not get enough training before the competition. Ian Bobo, Kyle Collins and Katie Woods had already beaten the 20.0 average at some point in the past, and the Throw Down lineup tried to get to the Mass Defiance number or higher with some indoor and little outdoor training.

Mass Defiance was in the team's 4th year at the USPA Nationals with the same lineup when they scored the 19.3 average, and that is probably the main reason why this amateur record average was posted so early and has been standing for such a long time.

USPA Nationals 2011		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	M,5,13	21,14,22	12,20,D	11,Q,16	O,C,10,K	P,L,19,8	18,6,2	15,9,G	7,F,17	A,B,N,J,3	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	25	19	19	22	26	24	21	26	31	30	243	24.3
2	Golden Knights Gold	18	17	18	21	24	23	19	21	29	28	218	21.8
3	Perris Fury	20	17	16	21	26	22	15	21	29	29	216	21.6
4	SDC Rhythm XP	22	17	18	21	24	20	19	22	26	26	215	21.5
5	Paraclete XP4	21	16	16	20	23	19	17	22	26	28	208	20.8
6	Throw Down	18	14	14	18	22	21	17	19	22	25	190	19.0

Throw Down at the USPA Nationals 2011 - Mass Defiance at the USPA Nationals 2007

The competition draw in 2007 was slightly faster than in 2011 and may have helped Mass Defiance more than it helped Throw Down last year. 19 of the 22 blocks were drawn for the ten rounds in 2007, and the three missing blocks (1, 10 and 14) are on the slower side. The draw also included 15 of the 16 random formations. However, it was still not really a fast draw and had no Super Sequence.

The competition draw at the USPA Nationals 2011 included 20 of the 22 blocks (missing: 1 and 4) and only 14 of the 16 random formations. The same competition draw of 2007 may have brought Throw Down to the Mass Defiance record average, and a completely clean score sheet would have done the job, too. Throw Down lost a total of five point in the ten rounds.

Mass Defiance did not lose one single point in the judging room at the USPA Nationals 2007. There were a few marks but never enough for a point deduction. Throw Down was very close, however, the 19.3 average is still standing and will most likely be challenged once again next year.