posted May 3rd, 2013 - There is only one 4way team in the world that has completed four meets at this point in time. a.team4way from Russia attended this week's season opener in Kolomna and added the fourth set of scores to the previous results. a.team4way now has two indoor and two outdoor meets under the belt this year, including the Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship 2013 and the World Challenge 2013.

It's the second year for Katya Kharitonova, Alex Ushakov, Andrei Kalugin and Alexander Ashikhmin, and the progression has been impressive. a.team4way started off from a 16.4 average and a 27th place at the World Challenge 2012. The same lineup finished with a 22.2 average and in 10th place at this year's competition in Bedford.

Last year's 15.6 average at the Russian Nationals (4th) was the last word in 2012.

May 1st, 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	18,14,11	10,M,21	15,B,Q,2	7,E,12	A,13,4	17,3,O	22,16,20	H,19,L,5	8,G,F,P	6,D,1	Total	Avg
1	a.team4way (RU)	15	16	15	17	11	18	13	17	23	16	161	16.1
2	UFO (RU)	13	14	15	16	13	17	11	17	21	16	153	15.3
3	Solnechnyj Veter (RU)	11	14	12	14	12	18	12	14	19	14	140	14.0
4	Mad Ducks (RU)	6	6	2	9	7	6	5	7	5	9	62	6.2
5	Barkli (RU)	19	20	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	39	19.5

The 2013 season began with an indoor competition in Moscow at the beginning of March, where a.team4way posted a 22+ average and was showing that the Russian team was ready to go big at the World Challenge.

However, there was a trip to Florida on the agenda before Bedford was next on the itinerary. In fact, a.team4way traveled to Arizona first for a training camp with coach Thomas Hughes. The Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship 2013 concluded the spring visit in the USA.

The 15.3 average in DeLand at the team's first outdoor meet of the year came with ten point deductions and was still on the same level where a.team4way had finished off the 2012 outdoor season. Then came the successful trip to Bedford and back home to Russia.

Paraclete XP Outdoor	World Challenge

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

1

a.team4way (RU)

14

15

11

18

22

15

14

14

17

13

153

15.3

Kolomna Meet May 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

18,14,11

10,M,21

15,B,Q,2

7,E,12

A,13,4

17,3,O

22,16,20

H,19,L,5

8,G,F,P

6,D,1

Total

Avg

1

a.team4way (RU)

15

16

15

17

11

18

13

17

23

16

161

16.1

a.team4way completed the 4th meet of the year with a new team record average. The 16.1 average required a lot of concentrated work in Kolomna. It was probably the slowest competition draw of the young 2013 season. 21 of the 22 blocks were drawn, and only the fast Block 9 (Cat + Accordeon) was missing. The slow 3-block sequence of Round 1 kept even the Barkli score below 20 points, and the sequence of Round 7 was even slower.

In addition to the slow sequences, five of the ten rounds also brought slot switchers to the teams in Kolomna.

Barkli completed only two rounds and had to withdraw when Tail Vladimir Pavlenko came down with a serious cold. It offered a.team4way the opportunity to win the 1st place. SportLoto could not attend the meet since Katya Kharitonova's brother Andrey Kharitonov is working abroad this year and was not available for his team.