posted Oct 18th, 2008 - The transition of the NSL News office from DeLand to Eloy is complete, and the preparations on site for the coverage of the USPA Nationals 2008 are in full swing. Skydive Arizona is already quite busy, as several teams have been training here for a few days and others have arrived today for some jumps on the weekend. The competition begins on Monday.

The NSL News camera found team Slipstream of the Northern Plains Skydiving League getting ready for a training jump. CSC Rhythm XP was also getting ready to get in the air shortly after the NSL News arrived in Eloy. The Midwest Skydiving League team will compete in the Advanced Class and is probably the top contender in this category. Rhythm will team up with Sebastian Tempest for the 8-way competition.

The NSL News coverage of the USPA Nationals 2008 is brought to you with the help of:

The NSL News office found its home in the Omniskore headquarters where Tim Wagner and Jan Mayer will direct the judging and scoring system, manage the DZ-TV network and update the Omniskore website. Tim Wagner and Kurt Gaebel have worked together many times in the past and will enjoy another great event coverage on both ends.

Larry Hill, host of the USPA Nationals 2008 and owner of Skydive Arizona, got some practical work done himself, while his staff gave the skydiving center the final touch. He shaped up the event sign that will be the backdrop for the official Omniskore team pictures.

The French delegation has already started its Maubeuge Holidays in Arizona.

Emmanuel "Manus" Sarrazin was the first French competitor in front of the NSL News camera and gave evidence for the presence of the teams. He obviously enjoyed the day in Eloy and said that the French team will make few jumps on Sunday and then wait for the competition draw.

He had additional news and mentioned that a fourth 4-way team from France, Monaco Pujaut Aerial, has made the trip to Eloy.

The Monaco lineup includes two former French national 8-way competitors and silver medalists of the World Meet 1987 in Brazil, Didier Boignon and Jeff Ronzevalle. They will compete in 4-way and watch the current French national 8-way team and its performance 21 years later.

It was just a coincidence that NSL News reporter Kurt Gaebel ran into the US 8-way team of the World Meet 2008 a few minutes later. The new lineup, with Shannon Pilcher and Ian Bobo, had just landed after a training jump and watched the video in the official viewing area. It was the perfect opportunity for the NSL-TV camera to capture the first 8-way video of this lineup. The video can be viewed by clicking here.

The five Golden Knights with Thomas Hughes, Shannon Pilcher and Ian Bobo are using the two days before the event for as much 8-way training as possible. The training schedule is limited since Thomas Hughes also competes with Brian Johnson in 4-way where both are trying to get some training jumps in before the meet begins.

Brian Johnson reported that Airspeed will compete with exactly the same 8-way lineup as last year, including Jack Jefferies. He said that the original Airspeed member found last year's 8-way gold medal in his jumpsuit when he was looking for his equipment for the next skydives... It sounded as if Airspeed will not have much training before trying to defend the 8-way title.