posted Apr 1st, 2013 - Paratec-Saar, the German national 4way team at the Mondial Dubai 2012, Paratec-Saar, had walked away once again with the German national 4way title last year. The same original lineup of 2007 (Markus Bastuck - Center Inside, Dieter Schwarz - Center Outside, Max Thiele - Point, Jörn Thiele - Tail, Alexander "Dude" Hau - Camera) dominated 4way competition in Germany ever since and has now disbanded.

The same five 4way competitors have also won the German 8way titles in the same time period, even though the 8way lineup has changed over the years. The Mondial 2012 in Dubai was the end of an impressive 4way and 8way era in Germany, even though some of the team members may come back in different lineups, and a reunion here and there may also not be out of the question.

Paratec-Saar had decreased the training efforts in the recent years, and other German teams, such as ISB Air Remscheid, Final Four and their EADS 8way partners, came closer to the German top level.

Paratec-Saar at the Mondial 2012	Final Four in 2011

Mondial Dubai 2012		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7	Round 8	Round 9	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA/Open Class	5,12,E	6,D,B,K	O,8,7	N,13,18	10,21,M	19,H,11	C,G,1,A	20,9,15	16,F,P,Q	Total	Avg
7	Ex3mo 4 (IT)	17(-1)	24(-2)	20	14	17	19	22	18(-1)	28(-1)	179	19.9
8	Paratec-Saar (DE)	18	26	21	13	14(-2)	16(-1)	21(-3)	18	30(-1)	177	19.7
9	Rotor Out (AU)	14(-2)	25(-1)	18(-1)	15	17	18	22(-1)	17	28	174	19.3
10	Bardagi (SE)	17	26	20	14	16	15(-2)	23	17(-2)	24(-2)	172	19.1

Paratec-Saar still made it into the semifinals in Dubai and finished in 8th place with a 19.7 average after an 18.6 average at the German Nationals in August last year. Germany's 8way team EADS finished in 4th place at the Mondial 2012 with a 14.8 average.

The 4way door in Germany is now open for a new team to win the national championships this year and qualify as the national team for the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2014 in Prostejov, Czech Republic. Final Four was one of the German challengers in the past and came close at the German Nationals 2011, still ending up the same eight points behind the first place as EADS in 2012.

ISB Air Remscheid, the German national lineup in the female 4way category, was also ready to challenge Paratec-Saar in the Open Class before the young team was stopped by an injury. Markus Bastuck, Dieter Schwarz, Max Thiele, Jörn Thiele and videographer Alexander Hau are leaving as the undefeated 4way and 8way champions since 2007.

German Nationals 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	1,8,21	N,H,F,9	B,5,O,16	A,19,13	7,J,2	3,20,18	L,15,12	22,P,4	Q,C,10,11	14,K,D,E	Total	Avg
1	Paratec-Saar (DE)	14	37	21	14	17	15	15	15	16	21	185	18.5
2	Final Four (DE)	14	30	20	15	18	13	13	16	17	21	177	17.7
3	Dynamite (DE)	14	31	18	14	19	12	14	14	17	20	173	17.3

A new lineup may still pick up the German pace where Paratec-Saar left it at the end of the 2012 season. In fact, the new EADS 4way lineup would probably have the potential to keep up with the former national team. The EADS 2012 lineup was close enough to make it difficult for Paratec-Saar at the national championships, and the 2013 lineup could become even stronger.

EADS comes back Olaf Biedermann, Goran Meyer and Thomas Mack this year. They have to replace Thomas "Spieli" Spielvogel who was seriously injured after the German Nationals 2012 when he fell from his semi-trailer truck and damaged one knee and leg very badly, as the NSL News reported on 5 October 2012.

Thomas Spielvogel has not recovered well enough from the injury to be back in time for the 2013 season, and Chris Schaefer is taking his Point slot. Andi Trögele is filming the new EADS lineup.

German Nationals 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	8,G,L,3	15,9,11	M,H,A,12	22,F,7	Q,D,5,21	2,J,P,14	O,17,8	N,4,6	1,13,E	K,10,16	Total	Avg
1	Paratec-Saar (DE)	18	17	24	19	20	19	19	17	18	15	186	18.6
2	EADS (DE)	16	17	23	17	19	17	19	18	16	16	178	17.8

Thomas Mack, Chris Schaefer and Andi Trögele were team mates with Final Four. Christian Wirth and Petra Stumpp completed the lineup, and Final Four moved closer to Paratec-Saar's top level in Germany year after year.

Final Four discontinued after the 2nd place at the German Nationals 2011, and Thomas Mack was called to national 8way duty and the slot with the EADS 4way lineup in 2012. Uli Sehrbrock filled the 8way slot for Thomas Spielvogel at the Mondial Dubai 2012. Final Four's young Tail Chris Schaefer took a year off in 2012 and then followed the EADS call for the 2013 season in the Point slot.

Final Four member Petra Stumpp and her husband Henning, former EADS/Dynamite member, are joining forces with Uli Sehrbrock and Janine Tillenburg who placed 4th with Zero Gravity at the German Nationals 2012. The new EADS lineup currently completes a spring training camp in DeLand with coach Solly "Schleifer" Williams.