posted May 15th, 2012 - The NSL News story on 13 January 2012 announced that the Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship 2012 would feature the first Arabian 8way competition.

The Qatar Knights had completed their first 8way competition at the USPA Nationals 2011, while former Airspeed 8way world champions Eliana Rodriguez and Craig Girard were making plans to add 8way competition to their Dubai project.

The NSL News covered the 4way competition between Qatar and Dubai at the USPA Nationals 2011 comprehensively, and in January 2012 it seemed like this new regional rivaly in the Mideast would be extended to 8way and be continued in both events at the Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship 2012 in March.

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

8way Intermediate

7,P,13

,19

B,D,6

1,F,3

L,C,E,21

17,10

N,2,M

J,G,A,4

K,18,O

8,14

Total

Avg

4

Qatar Knights

6

5

9

5

9

7

6

7

8

7

69

6.9

Qatar's Formation Skydiving delegation, plus students and other personnel, was training all winter in DeLand. The teams from Dubai and Qatar both knew each other well and were looking forward to their internal 4way battles and the new 8way challenge. Qatar had a head start in 4way, as the Falcons and the Tigers started their 4way project with Solly Williams earlier than Asaar Red and Gold with Eliana Rodriguez and Craig Girard.

However, the situation in 8way would probably be different, as both lineups were not too far from each other with the starting time. The Qatar Knights had posted a 6.9 average at the USPA Nationals, with German player coach Max Thiele in the lineup. 8way world champions Eliana Rodriguez and Craig Girard must have been sure that they would be able to catch up quickly with enough 8way training for their teams.

The Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship 2012 would have provided a very accurate picture of the situation for both delegations. Unfortunately, the circumstances changed for Qatar, and not even the 4way teams registered for the competition in DeLand.

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

8way Open

8,7,E

O,4,14

Q,H,18,1

D,L,N,B,13

21,20,5

17,A,19

10,15,11

P,K,22,F

16,J,3

6,M,9

Total

Avg

3

Dubai Assar

6

8

10

5

6

7

6

6

9

10

73

7.3

The Dubai delegation followed through with the plans in 4way and in 8way, and the first 8way scores were posted. Asaar 8 finished with a 7.3 average after the ten rounds in March and outscored the Qatar Knights and their November 2011 average. Dubai 8 launched the 8way project in the Open Class, while the Qatar Knights had competed in USPA's Intermediate 8way category.

The video shows that the Dubai 8way team is still working on getting familiar with the visuals and the very different techniques. Covering 4way and 8way with the same lineups is great fun but also very challenging. Qatar and Dubai have been on very similar roads in the past two years, and the big showdown will eventually happen at the World Meet 2012.

The competition in Dubai will still be different. Both 8way lineups will compete directly with and against each other, and so will two of the 4way linups, probably the Qatar Tigers and Asaar Red. The Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship would have allowed the complete delegations to compete with each other. Maybe next year...