posted May 9th, 2012 - Arizona Airspeed was the US national 4way team and represented the USA at the World Meets between 1995 and 2001, followed by Golden Knights (2003), DeLand Majik (2004) and DeLand Fire (2006), and has been the national team again since 2008. The NSL News had brought up the topic of a new generation of 4way teams in the USA a few times, and SDC Rhythm XP was usually the related topic.

However, the NSL News has also mentioned a new 4way generation that is even a step behind Rhythm, and the related team name of this topic has been Carolina Turbo XP. The team's career began under VTSD in 2009, just a few years after the Rhythm 4way project was launched. VTSD/Carolina Turbo XP has literally been just a step behind Rhythm ever since.

Rhythm won USPA's AAA/Advanced Class gold medals in 2008. VTSD became USPA's AA/Intermediate Class champion in 2009, while Rhythm moved up into the AAA/Open Class competition at the USPA Nationals. Carolina Turbo XP won USPA's Advanced Class gold medals in 2010, two years after Rhythm. Both teams were finally together in the AAA/Open Class competition of the USPA Nationals 2011.

Paraclete Indoor 2012		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	C,20,13	B,18,O,8	K,A,16,Q	H,F,J,4	2,11,10	M,E,21,22	P,L,3,12	14,6,D	G,1,19	N,5,9	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	25	29	38	39	22	29	28	27	25	38	300	30.0
4	SDC Rhythm XP	23	24	31	34	17	27	24	25	24	29	258	25.8
6	Golden Knights Women	18	21	17	29	16	23	21	21	19	26	211	21.1
7	Carolina Turbo XP	16	15	15	25	15	17	19	20	16	23	181	18.1

The records of both teams at the USPA Nationals are flawless so far. Rhythm has increased the AAA Class meet average every year since 2008 (16.9 - 18.1 - 20.5 - 21.5) and Turbo seems to be on the same track (14.5 - 15.0) after the 16.0 average at the Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship 2012. In fact, the 16.0 average so early in the team's third AAA Class season might move Turbo closer to Rhythm's third year average (20.5) in 2010.

SDC Rhythm XP on the other hand has to beat the 21.5 average of the USPA Nationals 2011 to maintain a flawless progression, which is very likely to happen without any major accidents. The 22.4 average in March indicates that Rhythm is on track, as well.

Rhythm did not get close enough in the team's last "amateur" season of 2009 to challenge the unofficial Mass Defiance 19.3 record average. Carolina Turbo XP could be the next team to go after this long standing benchmark, maybe already this year.

Carolina Turbo XP at the Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship - Carolina Turbo XP at the Paraclete XP Indoor Championship

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Paraclete Outdoor 2012		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	Q,8,H,22	16,19,13	10,14,2	E,C,20,K	5,M,9	A,6,F,17	D,21,N,B	P,O,G,J,1	18,4,7	12,15,3	Total	Avg
1	USA Arizona Airspeed	25	20	18	35	36	25	33	31	23	20	266	26.6
4	SDC Rhythm XP	21	17	15	28	29	23	27	27	19	18	224	22.4
3	Golden Knights Women	17	12	13	19	20	17	22	22	16	14	172	17.2
10	Carolina Turbo XP	17	11	13	21	15	17	19	20	14	13	160	16.0

Carolina Turbo XP is one of the four teams who attended both Paraclete meets this year, the Paraclete XP Indoor Championships 2012 in February and the Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship 2012 in March.

The same four teams were in exactly the same order in both meets and proportionally maintained the distances between each other. There was only one exception, as Carolina Turbo XP reduced the distance to the female lineup of the Golden Knights at the outdoor competition.

The Carolina Skydiving League launches its 2012 season this weekend in Raeford, and the Golden Knights would have the opportunity to correct the March situation. Carolina Turbo XP on the other hand can continue the team's flawless progression and try to get closer to the Rhythm average of 2010 and to the Mass Defiance 19.3 benchmark.