posted Feb 5th, 2009 - The NSL News has already covered quite a few countries with the plans for the 2009 season. Now it is time for an update from the Netherlands, one of the first nations in Europe that joined the 4-way network of the National and the European Skydiving League. Former 4-way world champion with DeLand Majik and DeLand Fire, Gary Smith, has moved to the Netherlands and keeps the NSL News informed on a regular basis.

He reported first of all that Gerhard Schut, former member of team Pulse, is the new representative of the Dutch Skydiving League. He has taken the position of Mike Pennock who guided the Dutch 4-way teams into the international NSL/ESL network.

Gary Smith reported that the teams in Holland are getting ready for the 2009 season: "They are going strong, and they are using the tunnel in Roosendaal, so the level of Dutch skydiving is improving, just as it happened in the United Kingdom. The tunnel has really made an effort to support the Formation Skydiving teams, which has been great for the performance level of the4 Dutch 4-way."

Gerhard Schut then provided the actual information of the Formation Skydiving community in the Netherlands. He said that it was already obvious at the end of the 2008 season that some things would change this year. One of the changes is his own position.

His former team Pulse disbanded after three intensive years. However, the Pulse members did not retire from 4-way competition. Mieke Mulder and Marloes Swarthoff have joined a new all-female lineup. Joyce Iepma, former Habanero member, and Petra van Overveld of team Yottsu committed to a 2-year training plan.

Gerhard Schut himself was looking out for a new slot once it was clear that Pulse would not continue. The opportunity came when NRG member Milo Pieters could not commit for the new season, as he is still suffering from a shoulder injury and finally decided to offer the Center Outside slot to a new member. Gerhard Schut was flying the same slot for Pulse, and he has already performed on a higher scoring level than NRG. His new team will be glad to have him fill the slot. NRG has already signed up for the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2009.

Team Whooops reported no changes. The same lineup will continue for one more year and is aiming for the participation at the World Cup 2009 in the Czech Republic. It will be the 5th year for Whooops since the team was founded in 2005 and competed in the Rookie Class. The Whooops lineup of 2007 competed in the A Class, then skipped the AA Class and moved straight up into the AAA Class competition last year.

The Dutch national 4-way team Dynamic Fource will also continue with the same lineup and slow down the efforts this year. Dynamic Force had an exciting race with the Italian Spin Team for the "amateur championship" at the World Meet 2008 in France and ended up in 8th position with an 18.4 average. The team's status as the Dutch national team does not seem to be in jeopardy at the moment, even with a reduced schedule this year. Dynamic Fource plans to pick up the pace again in 2010.

Several other Dutch teams of 2008 have plans for this year and are still in the recruiting phase, such as Turbulence, Empat Laki Laki and Habanero. Tiramisu lost Marco Bloemendaal and Tom Verhoeven who joined forces with Sandra Klein and Raymon Barbier of team Mind Your Step. They started a new team and will compete in the AA Class. The remaining Tiramisu members, Jan Uilenbroek and Edward Blaauw, will launch a team project that draws new skydivers into the world of Formation Skydiving competition.

There also a few international team projects with Dutch participation. Former Pulse member Jacco van Eerden and Dynamic Fource member Paul Hofstee have joined join forces with two Belgian competitors and may compete at the ESL Championship 2009. Paul Hofstee has more off time than he can handle with a slower Dynamic Fource season, as Gerhard Schut jokingly mentioned: "So he started another team project to keep him busy enough."

Bedazzled member of 2008, Marjolein Groen, found three female German competitors that she will train and compete with this year. Gary Smith, who also serves the German 4-way community as a coach, helped to form the lineup. Germany and the Netherlands are neighboring countries in Central Europe.

Last not least, Gerhard Schut also explained a few changes of the league and meet management in the Netherlands. His former Pulse team mate Marloes Swarthoff decided to scale back her management work. She used to organize the popular Tomscat Trophy, the biggest 4-way competition in the Netherlands. Pulse videographer Mike Pennock has forwarded the management work of the Dutch Skydiving League to Gerhard Schut who is also the league's webmaster. Three meets are scheduled for the 2009 season, including the Tomscat Trophy 2009 in June.