posted Jun 1st, 2012 - The new meet weekend is right around the corner, which includes the next meet in Germany and the season opener of the Midwest Skydiving League. Little Big Cloud was also planning to send the next competition draw into the virtual 4way world on June 1st. However, League Director Al BeVier postponed the session for the next month, and he explained why:

"Eye witnesses tell a horrific story of The Little Cloud website database being mortally injured after stumbling into the bonfire pit late one night earlier this week. While valiant efforts were made to repair, restore, revitalize, or just revive the database, it died at the scene. The jumper who attempted to pull the database from the fire was so emotionally distraught, he was unable to comment through his tears. The decision was made, however, to honor the dead database by starting fresh! "We know it's a lot of work," said a trembling jumper who witnessed the event, "but wtf, it's about skydiving, ya know?" Another jumper said. "He was a terrible flyer but It's the least we can do!"

"So..... for you, your teammates, and your continued fun, a new database will be built, installed, tested, and running by next Friday -- probably sooner. You can get your progress reports on the Little Cloud Facebook page."

Honeymoon in the Windtunnel

The NSL News also received more information of last weekend's season opener in Finland. League managers Merja Takala and Marko Saaresto privided the additional information:

"On Saturday May 26th, the dropzone in Utti woke up to beautiful sunshine and mild winds. The forecasted rain had sneaked past in the black of the night, unnoticed and unmourned. With the last of the snow having melted away over two weeks ago it was off to a great day of skydiving.

For many the season here in Finland is just starting, for some their gear is still in maintenance, summer holidays still ways off. Despite the skydivers at large still waking from their hibernation (one of the competitors had opened her season just the evening before), three 4way teams turned up for this first competition of the season. Two from the capital Helsinki, one from last year's Formation Skydiving powerhouse Tampere."

Finland - May 2012		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	14,21,D	Q,18,7	4,15,E	1,A,12	16,8,20	Total	Avg
1	Honeymoon (FI)	2	2	5	5	5	19	3.8
Rank	A Class	21,D	Q,7	4,M	A,9	8,B	Total	Avg
1	Umppa Lumpat (FI)	5	7	4	4	0	20	4.0
2	Awe-SOME (FI)	3	5	4	5	1	18	3.6

"Since jumping all ten rounds in a single day would have been impossible, the teams settled for a comfortable pace. As the day started to draw to a close the teams agreed that five rounds would be a good count number, something all could make and still get home for the night.

All through the rounds the competition was surprisingly tight, even considering that we lumped A Class and AAA Class levels together. Going into the final round it was still anybody's game. After great anticipation the teams finished with amazingly close total scores of 18 to 19 to 20. It was a great season start for competitive 4way skydiving in Finland."

Merja Takala and Marko Saaresto added that Awe-SOME is a completely new team, with members from A- to D-licences. The promising Umppa Lumpat lineup is in the team's second year in the A Class and has ambitious plans. Honeymoon has three members (Malla Mäkelä, Merja Takala, Pasi Takala) of former A Class team Crémè Brûlée. New member Sanna Pernu-Nyholm has previous AAA Class experience, and Honeymoon now decided to take on the AAA Class dive pool.

The team name Honeymoon has actually little to do with team members Merja and Pasi Takala. The true story comes from a windtunnel camp in December last year, as Merja Takala explained:

"We planned a tunnel camp for last December, and as it happened, our team member Malla got married in December, just a week before our tunnel camp. So actually it was her honeymoon. Her husband, who does not jump, was also traveling with us and actually practiced in the tunnel several times..."

The Pro Team is still the reigning 4way champion in Finland, after representing the country very well at the World Meet 2010 in Menzelinsk. The Tigers were the last team from Finland that attended an indoor competition, the World Challenge 2011.