posted Jun 24th, 2013 - The NSL Sun Path News is still waiting for the scores of last weekend and used the extra time to go far back in the video archives.

Latest result of the current NSL-TV digitizing efforts is a review of the best 4way teams in the USA after Arizona Airspeed's Vertical lineup had won the 4way gold medals at the World Meet 2001 in Spain.

Airspeed was the best 4way team on the planet after winning in Spain and continuing with the same lineup in 2002.

However, the Golden Knights had switched the focus on 4way a few years ago and were only two points behind Airspeed at the USPA Nationals shortly after the new world champions came back from Spain.

And then there was the new team project in DeLand, where the former South African Equanimity bronze medalists of 1997, Solly Williams and Gary Smith, had joined forces with FX World Cup champions of 1998, Joey Jones and Doug Park.

Airspeed Vertical was surely not in a safe position at the beginning of the 2002 season.

The extremely competitive situation in the USA was confirmed at the USPA Nationals 2002, which was the US qualifier for the next World Championshipf of Formation Skydiving, the Mondial 2003 in Gap, France.

The three top contenders finished within six points, and the Golden Knights won the gold medals.

DeLand Majik had to deal with Joey Jones' severely twisted ankle.

The Center Outside had injured himself a few days before the start of the competition during the final training, and Majik decided to compete with the original lineup instead of using alternate Shannon Pilcher who was ready to go.

DeLand Majik ended up in 3rd place and had to wait for two more years to qualify for the next world meet and win FAI gold medals in Croatia 2004 with the same original lineup.

R.	Team	Rd. 1 6-B-5	Rd 2 F-7-2	Rd 3 9-P-11	Rd 4 J-18-D-C	Rd 5 E-O-Q-17	Rd 6 H-12-16	Rd 7 4-13-L	Rd 8 19-1-N	Rd 9 23-21-A	Rd 10 14-8-G	Rd 11 15-24-M	T.	Av.
n/a	DeLand Majik	21	24	24	24	29	19	19	22	18	17	-	217	21.7
1	GoldenKnights	17	23	24	22	29	19	21	21	18	17	17	228	20.7
2	DeLand PD Blue	17	22	22	20	28	18	17	21	20	16	17	218	19.8
n/a	Sinapsi (Italy)	16	18	19	17	23	16	12	17	14	13	15	180	16.4
n/a	Optic Nerve	14	18	16	19	21	13	15	16	14	12	14	172	15.6
3	Nemesis	12	19	17	12	19	13	13	16	16	12	13	162	14.7
4	Angry Bees	12	17	17	10	19	12	14	14	11	8	12	146	13.3
5	Teiwaz	9	15	17	14	17	12	13	11	12	11	13	144	13.1
6	JetStream	11	14	13	9	13	11	10	11	11	10	10	123	11.2
7	Mr.Pink	10	14	13	11	12	10	11	12	11	9	9	122	11.1
8	Ranch AVGas	10	13	11	6	12	4	7	11	2	8	9	93	8.5
9	DefCon4	9	13	10	9	10	9	4	4	8	7	8	91	8.3

DeLand Majik challenged the Golden Knights for the first time at the NSL Championship of SkyQuest 2001, just a month after the USPA Nationals. Point Gary Smith was not available in November 2001.

Lise Aune, Center Outside of the DeLand Norgies and bronze medalist of 1999 and 2001, filled the Point slot for DeLand Majik.

The unofficial challenge was successful for DeLand Majik at Fantasy of Flight, but the Golden Knights won the NSL Shugar Cup, as Majik was not eligible for NSL medals by then.

Solly Williams and Gary Smith also competed with Optic Nerve at the same event, and the Majik video shows another team injury at the end of the clip and the way Dr. Joel Shugar was helping the Majik member this time.

The meet videos also show a very different dive pool in 2001. Not only that many of the blocks and random formations were very different - each infringement was also punished with an additional point deduction. Times have changed...