posted May 14th, 2012 - The 2012 Formation Skydiving competition season is once again loaded with events, and it includes a meet situation that is quite unusual. The NSL News can recall only one time that the International Parachuting Commission (IPC) scheduled a World Cup and a World Championship for the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) in the same year.

That happened in 2006 when the World Meet took place in Germany (6 - 10 August) and the Malevsky Cup (14 - 18 August) was scheduled right after it. It was the one and only time that the Malevsky Cup was officially a World Cup at the same time. The Malevsky Cup 2007 (2 - 6 July) could not be a World Cup since this event would take place a month later (6 - 10 August) at the same place, in Stupino, Russia.

Both events in 2006 and 2007 did not benefit each other very much. Only one national 4way team (France) attended both events in 2006. The Malevsky Cup 2007 had the two best US teams (Arizona Airspeed, Fastrax) in Stupino, plus four Russian teams in the field. Airspeed and Fastrax did not come back for the World Cup where 22 teams only from Europe competed.

This year's FAI event scheduling is similar and different at the same time. There is a World Cup 2012 scheduled for 27 - 31 August in Prostejov, Czech Republic, and the World Championship takes place on 28 November - 9 December in Dubai. Most likely, the World Cup 2012 will turn out the same way as in 2007, with only teams from Europe.

Chances are little that any national teams from other continents, including Arizona Airspeed, will make the trip to Europe when they have to travel to Dubai three months later. The 3-month window is the difference this year compared to the double headers of 2006 and 2007. However, the budgets of teams and national federations are usually limited, and the expenses for FAI meet attendance are on the higher end. The better timing this year may not change too much.

The World Cup 2012 is officially the European Championship at the same time. There is another way for the European teams to still benefit from the World Cup status of this year's event. A World Cup allows four teams from each nation to compete, while only one national team is eligible to represent a country in the European Championship.

Malevsky Cup 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	7 M 9	E Q D J K	5 10 21	N O 19 20	B 17 18	P 3 G 4	2 22 A	C 6 8	14 F 16	1 13 H	Total	Avg
1	USA Airspeed Odyssey	35	41	21	25	25	24	21	23	23	22	260	26.0
2	USA Fastrax	31	43	20	21	24	22	21	23	21	21	247	24.7
3	Russia Sky Panthers	31	40	20	22	24	24	20	17	22	18	238	23.8
4	Russia Black Cat	36	34	19	23	24	21	18	21	19	21	236	23.6
5	Russia Crossroads	30	37	17	21	21	21	21	19	20	19	226	22.6
6	Russia Sky Tec-BBC	26	33	15	20	18	18	16	16	18	16	196	19.6

Other than World Championship/Mondial 2012 in Dubai, World Cup 2012 in the Czech Republic and the many national championships, there are also several other meets on local, regional and national levels, especially in Europe. The ESL Championship 2012 brings together for the 9th time teams from Europe without serious qualification requirements and offers a different format. This event is scheduled for 7 - 9 September.

The ESL Championship is a 4way competition only. Members of some European 8way teams have now decided to get some competition practice, as well. Tom Claeys, member of the Belgian 8way team, informed the NSL News that he has scheduled an 8way competition weekend for 29 - 30 September 2012 in Moorsele, Belgium.

The skydiving center in Moorsele is also the host for the ESL Championship 2012. Tom Claeys said that the goal is to offer the teams that compete in Dubai another meet before. Belgium's 8way team, Brit Chicks and the Dutch 8way team M8Trix have confirmed their participation, and a Hayabusa 8way lineup is currently recruiting former members and friends. He hopes that Germany and France will use the opportunity, as well. The NSL News will follow up with more details later.