posted Feb 11th, 2009 - The NSL News recently received the scores of USPA's Collegiates Championships 2008. Competition draw and dive pool of this event are identical with the A Class rules. The two teams on the top of the leaderboard appeared already on NSL leaderboards during the 2008 season, as well, Air Force Encore and the West Point Autobots.

The Air Force team (James Hickerson, Brandon McCutcheon, Jimmy Miltenberg, Addison Schenk and Mike Kendrick on camera) competed at the May meet of the Colorado Skydiving League (11.7) and then at the USPA Nationals 2008 where they won the Intermediate Class silver medals with a 12.4 average.

The West Point Autobots (Phil Divinski, Branden Quintana, Roy Ragsdale, Hunter Thornal and Jon Dunn on camera) had attended two meets of the Ranch Skydiving League (9.0 - 9.4) and finished in 13th place at the USPA Nationals 2008.

Both teams scored significantly higher at the Collegiates in December (19.8 - 18.0) as the A Class dive pool is significantly easier compared to the AA Class dive pool of the Intermediate Class competition at the USPA Nationals.

The NSL News also received a copy of the West Point's team newsletter, which covered the competition in Texas from the West Point perspective:

"This past December, the West Point Parachute Team headed out to Skydive Spaceland in Rosharon, Texas, to compete in USPA Collegiate Nationals from December 28, 2008 to January 1, 2009. The team made over 700 successful parachute jumps competing in 4-way, 2-way, classic accu-racy, sport accuracy, and 6-way speed.

As in the past the West Point Parachute Team was represented on the podium in every event. All together the team took home 29 medals. Some highlights from the event were the Firstie 4-way, the Autobots, placing second in the open 4-way event with a combined total score of 108 points in 6 rounds. The Air Force Academy team Encore just edged out West Point to gain the top spot."

The NSL News asked the West Point team for more information of the team's future and the plans for the upcoming season. West Point Parachute Team team member Christopher Post provided the information and explained that last year's Autobots were the team of seniors at the military school:

"We have a team of juniors, which will likely be the ones attending the league meets this upcoming season. My team is composed of sophomores. We are taking our first steps toward 4-way competition now."

His team makes trips to Raeford in North Carolina where they can train with the Golden Knights at specific times during the year. His new lineup wants to learn as much as possible and is open for information from anywhere. Christopher Post himself recently ordered a few DVDs from the NSL Shop to study the 4-way science:

"We have also been working with Ben Liston from Mass Defiance and Tom Falzone. We are however constantly looking for any coaching help we can find, and I am looking to find any advantage for training I can."

The new West Point lineup plans to stay together for the next two years. They will attend league meets as soon as the 2009 season begins. There is a natural athletic rivalry between the Air Force and the West Point teams. The cadets from Colorado have had the upper hand in 4-way so far...