posted Feb 15th, 2013 - The NSL News reported the latest rule changes in Formation Skydiving competition after the annual IPC (International Parachuting Commission) meeting in January. The story on 27 January 2013 explained a few smaller adjustments of the judging and dubbing procedures and the dive pool changes in 8way.

The same IPC meeting also had to decide where the next World Championship of Formation Skydiving would be held. The host of the World Cup 2011, Saarlouis in Germany, and the host of the World Cups 2009 and 2012, Prostejov in the Czech Republic, both had presented bids to the IPC.

Prostejov won the bidding procedure and the vote and will see the best 4way teams of all participating nations in the world travel to the Czech Republic for the first time, in late August of 2014.

World Cup 2009		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	8,19,A	7,L,12	10,14,9	22,N,J,G	C,6,5	D,O,4,Q	15,13,18	21,2,20	1,H,17	3,B,M,K	Total	Avg
1	Aerodyne Cypres Maubeuge (FR)	23	24	21	26	23	30	20	20	22	31	240	24.0
2	HayaBusa Defence (BE)	21	23	19	24	22	29	16	19	25	31	229	22.9
3	Sinapsi (IT)	20	21	19	22	22	28	18	19	18	27	214	21.4
4	Black Cat (RU)	21	21	19	25	20	26	17	14	21	28	212	21.2
5	Skylight Barkli (RU)	18	21	19	23	22	26	18	13	21	29	210	21.0
6	Aerokart Pamiers (FR) Maubeuge	18	21	20	22	19	28	16	17	21	27	209	20.9

It will be the first time for Prostejov to welcome all top teams, even though the Czech skydiving center has hosted two World Cups within the past four years. The IPC's World Cups are 1st category events, just as the World Championships are. However, they never attract the same number of teams and the same high-profile participation to the hosting locations as World Championships do.

Only teams from Europe attended the World Cup 2009 in Prostejov despite a total number of 25 teams in 4way Open and additional four teams in 4way Women. The five 8way teams were also exclusively from Europe.

The World Cup 2012 in Prostejov attracted only a total of 11 teams in 4way Open, all from Europe, and two teams in 4way Women. However, at least one team visited from the USA. The Golden Knights came to Prostejov to get a good competition with the Aerodyne Deep Blue Defenders before the big showdown at the Mondial Dubai 2012 later the same year.

World Cup 2011		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	C,22,19	E,M,1,2	12,9,16	O,8,10	Q,14,5	P,17,K,18	21,L,J,13	3,11,B	20,G,H,4	N,F,A,7	Total	Avg
1	Aerodyne Aerokart (FR)	22	27	23	22	26	25	25	24	24	37	255	25.5
2	NMP-PCH Hayabusa (BE)	22	27	23	21	24	25	21	23	24	39	249	24.9
3	Paratec-Saar (DE)	16	23	19	15	19	18	16	19	20	31	196	19.6
4	Sky Panthers Barkli (RU)	18	21	19	16	19	16	15	19	19	33	195	19.5
5	Gradient Alpha (RU)	17	21	17	13	20	20	19	18	17	27	189	18.9
6	EX3MO4 (IT)	15	19	17	17	17	16	19	18	16	28	182	18.2
7	Bardagi (SE)	15	20	17	15	16	14	19	15	17	29	177	17.7

It was difficult to understand the logic of running a World Cup just a few months before the World Championship, especially if a host like Skydive Dubai would attract all national teams to the arguably most impressive event in the history of the sport. The IPC may now have used the latest bidding procedure, with the Prostejov vote as the result, to somehow make up for the 2012 situation.

Germany, host of the World Cup 2011 in Saarlouis, was one team better off in the 4way Open Class in 2011 than Prostejov in 2009. Rotor Out from Australia made the very long trip and was the only team from overseas in this category. However, the visit of the Golden Knights made the 8way competition like a World Championship in one event, and the US Army delegation also included the female lineup.

Germany had also hosted the World Championship of Formation Skydiving in 2006, which was probably another reason why the vote had Prostejov as the winner. The Czech Republic has never hosted a World Championship of Formation Skydiving in the modern history of the sport since 1985.

World Cup 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	1,19,2	14,18,15	N,16,20	E,6,J,A	C,K,9,13	F,8,11	Q,22,L,21	B,17,H,P	12,D,0,4	G,10,7	Total	Avg
1	NMP-PCH Hayabusa (BE)	21	19	22	33	31	22	23	40	24	26	261	26.1
2	Thunder (BE)	20	17	20	24	27	20	20	31	20	19	218	21.8
3	SportLoto (RU)	16	17	21	29	20	19	20	31	19	20	212	21.2
4	Satori (UK)	16	15	17	28	23	19	20	25	19	20	202	20.2
5	Aerodyne DB Defenders (FR)	16	15	17	27	21	17	20	31	19	16	199	19.9
6	Ex3mo 4 (IT)	17	12	17	28	20	15	19	28	17	15	188	18.8
7	Magic 4 (LT)	12	9	11	16	15	13	11	20	10	14	131	13.1

The World Cup 2009 in Prostejov was a well run event with a smooth operation, and all ten rounds were completed timely. Of course, it will be difficult or impossible for the Czech host to match up with Skydive Dubai. This will be the challenge for each host after the Mondial 2012.

Fact is that there will be most exciting competition in all Formation Skydiving categories in Prostejov. NMP-PCH Hayabusa is arguably the top contender for gold medals with the same lineup, and Arizona Airspeed will try to defend the 4way Excalibur sword. Evolution from Canada will be ready to take on the best 4way teams in the world. France and Russia may present their new generations of top competitors at that time, and then there are all the other internal battles that the NSL News will pay attention to.

The Golden Knights will try to defend the 8way Excalibur against either the same French 8way lineup or a new mix from France - unless the Paraclete XP8 lineup travels to the Czech Republic. The Golden Knights will definitely be there for the female 4way competition and find themselves in the Hayabusa situation with the same lineup: Only gold medals count. France has two years to create new Deep Blue Defenders. Last not least, all teams and competitors have the opportunity to enjoy the world class Czech beer. That counts for the media too...