posted Nov 11th, 2012 - The NSL News goes back to the USPA Nationals 2012 and another highlight of this year's competition at Skydive Arizona.

The unofficial US amateur record average has been a topic ever since Mass Defiance posted the famous 19.3 average at the USPA Nationals 2007. It is history now, after DNR (James "Malibu" Klinge, Ben Liston, Brian Stephens, Steve Johnson, with Pat Walker on camera) shattered it a few weeks ago in Eloy with a 20.7 average.

Several other teams have tried in the past to improve the old Mass Defiance record average, including team members James "Malibu" Klinge and Steve Johnson with other lineups. Eventually, they teamed up with two of the Mass Defiance members of 2007 (Ben Liston, Brian Stephens), and it turned out to be a successful combination.

USPA Nationals 2012		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	4way Open Class	3,B,K,H	F,7,22	O,4,D,13	A,M,11,8	N,P,G,19	L,20,1	5,16,J	6,21,12	18,17,10	E,C,Q,15	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed (US)	30	28	24	23	34	22	28	19	20	37	265	26.5
2	SDC Rhythm XP (US)	30	24	23	24	25	21	25	17	19	30	238	23.8
G	Evolution (CA)	24	20	22	21	22	19	26	16	18	33	221	22.1
3	Golden Knights (US)	23	22	20	22	24	17	21	16	17	26	208	20.8
4	DNR (US)	26	22	19	22	22(-2)	17(-2)	23	15	17	24	207	20.7

Another former Mass Defiance member was actually involved in the record breaking effort by DNR. Jim Rees was sitting in the judging room and was pushing the buttons in four of the ten DNR rounds. He did not make it easy for his former team mates and friends to break his own record average of 2007.

DNR had to swallow four point deductions, and all of them happened when Jim Rees was judging (Rounds 5 and 6). However, he punched the "wrong button" only two times, and only one of his marks was confirmed by the two other fellow judges for a point deduction. Jim Rees did not agree with the other three penalties and was over-ruled.

The point deductions did not hold back the best unofficial amateur team in the USA to post the new record average, but the penalties had a different and heavy impact. DNR was in the middle of a horse race with the Golden Knights, who eventually won the USPA bronze medals by one single point after a completely clean performance over the ten rounds. DNR would have been in 3rd place without the four point deductions.

The 4th place on the USPA leaderboard of the 4way Open Class is still the best ranking that an "amateur team" has ever achievend. The next goal for an "amateur team" could not only be the new 20.7 record average but also a medal position. DNR has shown that it can be in reach with good and efficient planning.

Throw Down (Ari Perelman, Katie Woods, Christopher Bobo, Kyle Collins, with Will Pesek on camera) had finished in 6th place with a 19.0 average last year and came close to the previous Mass Defiance mark. DeLand Shmeland (Rodney Cruce, Sally Hathaway, James Klinge, Ari Perelman, with Patrick Walker on camera) had posted an 18.1 average in 2010, which brought the same 6th place.

SDC Rhythm XP (Laurent Beaudouin, Janette and Steve Lefkowitz, Rob Radez and Kevin Naftzger on camera) was still an "amateur team" when they posted an 18.1 average in 2009 and ended up in 6th place, as well. Arizona Divewerkz (Blane Boynton, Cindy Nieves, Annie Peterson, Chad Smith, with Kevin Duke on camera) posted a 19.0 average in 2008 and finished in 5th place in the USPA rankings, which has been the best placing so far.

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	4way Open 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 (US)	23	26	26	23	32	24	28	23	21	27	253	25.3
2	Fastrax (US)	22	26	26	22	29	21	27	24	20	27	244	24.4
3	Golden Knights Black (US)	20	25	24	23	29	21	25	21	19	23	230	23.0
4	Perris Fury (US)	20	23	19	20	28	19	21	20	17	22	209	20.9
G	Arcteryx (NO)	20	22	22	21	24	19	22	19	16	23	208	20.8
G	Aerokart Seloger.com (FR)	18	21	16	18	26	19	24	18	17	22	199	19.9
5	Mass Defiance (US)	18	20	18	18	25	16	22	19	15	22	193	19.3
6	FooZa (US)	18	18	20	16	23	16	24	17	16	22	190	19.0

Mass Defiance was also in 5th place when the 2007 lineup posted the 19.3 average at the USPA Nationals. Steve Johnson and Jim "Bu" Klinge were exactly three points behind Mass Defiance with FooZa (Sally Hathaway, Joey Jones, Rob Harrick on camera) that year. The joint Mass Defiance and FooZa power of 2012 now re-wrote the "amateur" story in the USA.

It is the first time that a team finished in 4th place with a new record average. Mass Defiance members Ben Liston and Brian Stephens may have thought that it is time for themselves to improve their own record average if nobody else was doing it. They found the best partners in Steve Johnson and Jim "Bu" Klinge who have had their own eyes and thoughts above the 20-average level for a while.

Finally, almost all current and previous pursuers of amateur excellence in the USA eventually joined forces for some 8way fun and the annual reunion of the Amphibious Attack Tigers' 8way lineup: Ben Liston, Scotty Latinis, Brian Stephens, James "Bu" Kluge, Rodney Cruce, Sally Hathaway, Ari Perelman, Melanie Curtis, with Pat Walker on camera. Judge and former Mass Defiance member Jim Rees left the fishbowl for this event and competed with the Paraclete XP 8way lineup. Paraclete placed 3rd, and Jim Rees won his second USPA bronze medal in the Open Class.