posted Apr 19th, 2013 - There was only one team at the Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship 2013 that had never competed in the AAA Class before. The coolest team of the competition used the event to test the new waters and the new six blocks after a training camp with coach Solly Williams in DeLand.

Cool Runnings from the Netherlands was launching this lineup's 4th year with the first slot switcher in team history. It was a tough start, as the judges also did not like what they saw and deducted three points. The 4-pointer in Round 1 was not the most motivating way to enter the most challenging category.

However, there is a good reason for the team name, and Joost van Heijenoort, Sjoerd van Son, Tom van der Valk, Ren Hoogland and Jeroen van Dijk (Camera) did not grieve for too long. In fact, the Cool Runnings comeback was quite impressive, and the Dutch team was standing at a 10.0 average at the end of the first day.

Paraclete XP Outdoor 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

6,17,15

B,11,16

18,N,22

9,4,F

J,E,C,3

K,O,12,M

5,D,8

Q,13,14

G,7,H,10

1,20,21

Total

Avg

15

Cool Runnings (NL)

4

11

9

13

13

9

7

8

10

9

93

9.3

Cool Runnings had created the challenging sequence for the team's first round in the AAA Class by themselves. Following the event's tradition, the teams are drawing the complete competition draw manually, round by round and team by team. Cool Runnings was in charge for Round 1 and pulled three blocks (6,17,15).

The Dutch team had won the AA Class competition at the Tomscat Trophy last year with an 11.9 average after seven rounds and followed up with the 1st place and a 10.9 average after ten rounds at the national championships. Highlight of the 2012 season was the 1st place for the Netherlands at the ESL Championship with a 10.7 average, after a 10-round thriller with Potes En Ciel from Belgium and Hvezdy from the Czech Republic.

It was a copy of the 2011 season where Cool Runnings had won the same three events, only in a smaller field and on a lower scoring level. The 2012 season was a great third year for the same lineup in the AA Class. The cool team with a cool attitude made plans for the 2013 season and decided to step up into the AAA Class competition. Goal became the 10-average mark.

ESL Championship 2012		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AA Class	14,O,20	D,N,21	M,13,22	Q,2,9	E,6,15	4,P,19	K,J,18	1,11	C,A,7	8,F,H	Total	Avg
1	Cool Runnings (NL)	7	12	9	13	9	11	10	9	12	15	107	10.7
2	Potes En Ciel (BE)	10	10	9	13	8	11	9	10	15	11	106	10.6
3	Hvezdy (CZ)	9	11	9	8	11	10	10	10	14	13	105	10.5
4	High Altitude Heroes (UK)	9	11	8	11	7	11	10	8	14	13	102	10.2
5	Habanero (NL)	7	11	9	12	9	10	10	8	14	11	101	10.1
6	Murphy Mania (NL)	7	11	7	13	10	9	12	5	11	12	97	9.7
7	James Sluts (BE)	9	12	8	10	10	7	9	7	13	9	94	9.4
8	Meo (NL)	8	10	9	7	8	9	5	5	12	12	85	8.5
9	Vision (BE)	5	10	6	8	8	7	8	7	9	6	74	7.4
10	Pari-Passu (NL)	8	8	7	8	6	9	8	6	7	4	71	7.1

Cool Runnings was born in the A Class competition of the Dutch Nationals 2006 and finished in last place with a 4.0 average. The 2006 lineup decided to go back to scratch next year and start again from the Rookie Class level (5.6 - 6.3 - 8.5) which turned out to be a good decision, as the scoring progression was showing.

Tom van de Valk, Joost van Heijenoort and Sjoerd van Son, with Mike Lake in the lineup at that time, moved back up into the A Class in 2008 and added one more year in this category in 2009. Then the current lineup joined the Dutch AA Class competition of 2010 and staid short of the 10-average level.

This benchmark was eventually reached at the Dutch Nationals 2011 in August and became history (10.2) at the ESL Championship 2011. Cool Runnings improved the AA Class scores in 2012 and now made the final move. The 10-average benchmark is once again the main goal for the year, this time in the AAA Class.