posted Feb 10th, 2013 - It finally happened after a long waiting time - the first outdoor scores of the 2013 season are on the newest leaderboard. All earlier leaderboards this year have shown indoor scores from several different events. The first 2013 outdoor scores came from Skydive Arizona where 11 teams attended the annual Valentine's Meet.

Local team Cold Fusion came back in the AA Class after attending the event in 2011 and sitting out last year. Dallas Khaos started the 2013 season in the AA Class after competing in the AAA Class last year.

Three lineups from Qatar competed in the AAA Class, including the national 4way team Qatar Tigers, who had finished with a 17.0 average in 13th place at the Mondial Dubai 2012. The 17.2 average after six rounds in Eloy is the team's new highscore for a meet.

Valentine's Meet 2013		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	7,6,G	17,9,12	15,O,J,Q	3,P,K,D	C,B,4,M	N,11,20	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed (US)	24	23	29	26	28	-	130	26.0
2	Qatar Tigers (QA)	18	16	17	17	20	15	103	17.2
3	Falcons Maroon (QA)	9	11	10	8	12	-	50	10.0
4	Falcons White (QA)	10	8	9	7	12	-	46	9.2
Rank	AA Class	G,N,A,K	1,6	F,H,8	14,L,Q	15,B,C	9,19	Total	Avg
1	MahnaMahna (US)	12	6	11	6	6	8	49	8.2
2	Lucid Intervals (US)	8	6	10	8	8	8	48	8.0
3	Dallas Khaos XP (US)	11	8	9	0	9	8	45	7.5
4	Cold Fusion (US)	9	7	8	8	-	-	32	8.0
Rank	A Class	G,6	8,J	C,Q,D	M,N,H	K,4	O,A,9	Total	Avg
1	Mustache Rides (US)	2	4	3	4	3	2	18	3.0
2	Its Okay We Are Cute (US)	2	0	2	6	1	2	13	2.2
3	Minnesotans (US)	2	0	1	3	1	3	10	1.7

It was also Arizona Airspeed's first outdoor competition with Chris Farina in the Point slot. Airspeed had posted the first indoor scores at the Paraclete XP Indoor Championship 2013.

The situation was similar in Eloy, as Airspeed did not have any serious competition on their home turf. It was still a competition, and the audience has the opportunity to take a closer look at the first scores of the reigning world champions in 2013 with the new lineup.

The NSL News used a different way how to evaluate the first Airspeed indoor scores on 7 February 2013. The same way can be used to see how Airspeed started into the new competition season. It's a little bit more complicated though.

Valentine's Meet 2013

Rd. 1

Rd. 2

Rd. 3

Rd. 4

Rd. 5

Rd. 6

Rd. 7

Rd. 8

Rd. 9

Rd. 10

Total

Avg

Rank

AAA Class

7,6,G

17,9,12

15,O,J,Q

3,P,K,D

C,B,4,M

N,11,20

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

Total

Avg

1

Arizona Airspeed (US)

24

23

29

26

28

-

-

-

-

-

130

26.0

Valentine's Meet 2012

Rd. 1

Rd. 2

Rd. 3

Rd. 4

Rd. 5

Rd. 6

Rd. 7

Rd. 8

Rd. 9

Rd. 10

Total

Avg

Rank

AAA Class

N,O,F,K,2

10,A,J,8

4,C,P,11

M,3,17

G,B,14,1

7,15,H

21,D,E,16

12,6,9

20,L,18

22,19,Q

Total

Avg

1

Arizona Airspeed (US)

37

23

25

27

25

28

26

23

23

23

260

26.0

Valentine's Meet 2011

Rd. 1

Rd. 2

Rd. 3

Rd. 4

Rd. 5

Rd. 6

Rd. 7

Rd. 8

Rd. 9

Rd. 10

Total

Avg

Rank

AAA Class

18,N,9

20,6,5

11,O,7

15,13,P

21,L,D,C

G,F,M,K,4

A,3,22

10,19,H

14,2,B

1,E,17

Total

Avg

1

Arizona Airspeed (US)

25

23

27

23

30

36

23

21

21

21

250

25.0

Airspeed completed only five rounds this weekend, while the Valentine's Meets in 2011 and 2012 were 10-round events. It is never really accurate to compare meet averages, as the competition draws are always different. It becomes even more difficult when the teams don't complete the same number of rounds.

Airspeed posted a 25.0 average at the first outdoor meet with the new 2011 lineup. This weekend's 26.0 average with Chris Farina is identical with last year's results after ten rounds. The first five rounds at the Valentine's Meet 2013 included 10 random formations and 8 of the faster blocks with one exception. Last year's event had 11 random formations and 9 blocks in the draw, and Airspeed had a 27.4 average after five rounds. The 2011 draw had 6 random formations and 10 blocks. Airspeed started with a 25.6 average through the first five rounds.

The numbers have a meaning, however, they don't tell the whole truth. Fact is that the outdoor start was just as impressive as the indoor performance, and the more serious outdoor and indoor challenges are soon coming up at the Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship 2013 and then at the World Challenge 2013.