posted May 16th, 2013 - No team from Greece has ever competed at a World Championship of Formation Skydiving, and the NSL history of 4way competition in Greece began in May 2008. That was the first time that the Blue Rebels appeared on the NSL leaderboard.

Team leader Giannis Delaportas took his first lineup to Italy where the Blue Rebels competition career began at the annual 4way competition in Fano. The Blue Rebels competed in the Rookie Class and finished with a 7.8 average. Four years later, the Blue Rebels won their first international competition with the 1st place at the ISR Grand Prix 2012.

The Blue Rebels attended the World Challenge 2013 and finished in 2nd place at their second trip to Bodyflight Bedford. Giannis Delaportas gave the NSL News a DVD in Bedford that documents the Greek journey to the biggest success in the team's career and provides remarkable background information of the Blue Rebels vision.

ESL Championship 2008		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total	Avg
Rank	Rookie	M,D,J	F,E,B	Q,A,C	Total	Avg
1	Innuendo (UK)	18	18	13	49	16.3
2	Creeps (NL)	12	19	13	44	14.7
3	Zero Degrees (UK)	12	17	11	40	13.3
4	Crazy Dragons (CZ)	10	13	12	35	11.7
5	Spa Eole (BE)	9	11	8	28	9.3
6	Blue Rebels (GR)	5	6	8	19	6.3
7	4igami (NL)	7	8	0	15	5.0
8	Murphy Mania (NL)	3	6	4	13	4.3
9	Army (UK)	0	0	0	0	0.0

The May meet in Fano was not the only 4way competition for the Blue Rebels in the team's first year. They also traveled to the Netherlands in September and competed again in the Rookie Class. The Blue Rebels have not missed the ESL Championship ever since their first trip to the Netherlands.

The travel agenda in 2009 was identical with the 2008 itinerary, only the scores were higher at the ESL Championship 2009 (9.7) in the Rookie Class. The Blue Rebels eventually beat the 10-average benchmark in 2010 and won the bronze medals at the ESL Championship with a 10.2 average.

The Greek team eventually left the Rookie Class behind after the 3rd place at the ISR Grand Prix 2011. It was the team's first indoor competition with a promising start.

Meet the Blue Rebels	World Challenge 2013

World Challenge 2013		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	A Class	19,G	8,21	C,D,K	L,M,O	H,9	N,E,F	P,6	Q,J,2	B,7	A,4	Total	Avg
1	Heroes of the Arctic Circle (FI)	16	14	26	38	30	31	20	16	23	18	232	23.2
2	Blue Rebels (GR)	14	11	19	30	16	26	16	14	16	16	178	17.8
3	Fathers 4 Justice (UK)	13	12	22	27	22	17	16	14	17	13	173	17.3

It was no surprise that the Blue Rebels went back to the same place a year later. This time, the team had collected more indoor experiences after also competing at the World Challenge 2012 for the first time.

The Blue Rebels had moved up into the A Class meanwhile, and the first outdoor competition in this category brought the 8th place of 14 teams at the ESL Championship 2012 in September. However, the team's top event was still to come.

The ISR Grand Prix 2012 was the third competition for the Blue Rebels after two meets in each of the first four years. The competition esperiences finally paid back, and the 1st place in the A Class competition was the highest reward for the long trip from Greece to the Netherlands and for the commitment to 4way training and competition.

ISR Grand Prix 2012		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7	Round 8	Total	Avg
Rank	A Class	21,Q	6,L	A,J,D	2,P	K,B,9	7,N	O,E,F	G,M,C	Total	Avg
1	Blue Rebels (GR)	13	15	23	13	21	13	33	20	151	18.9
2	MACH4 (NL)	12	13	20	14	18	16	31	19	143	17.9
3	DNA Reloaded (IT)	13	14	18	11	17	15	28	23	139	17.4

The Blue Rebels have now become a well known and successful player in the international 4way community. The 2013 season began with the second trip to Bedford, and the 5th place in the A Class of 2012 (14.2) turned into silver medals at this year's competition with a 17.8 average.

The Blue Rebels will probably complete the team's third season in the A Class after three years in the Rookie Class. It would be no surprise to see the Greek team once again on the podium at the ESL Championship 2013, this time in the A Class. Then it would be time to defend the gold medals in Roosendaal if the Blue Rebels are again making three trips to Central Europe this year.

The AA Class dive pool will be the next step, which could already happen in November in Roosendaal, as well. The first trip of a Greek team to a World Championship of Formation Skydiving can probably be expected as soon as the Blue Rebels have mastered the AAA Class dive pool...