posted Sep 27th, 2013 - It seems like not much has changed on the top of the leaderboard after the USPA Nationals 2013, disregarding the fact that SDC Rhythm XP ended up on the bottom of the USPA leaderboard as a guest team.

The two best US teams, Arizona Airspeed and SDC Rhythm XP, both defended their positions in 1st and 2nd place successfully and easily after they went through similar personnel changes. Both teams needed two new active members, and Airspeed also had to recruit a new team videographer. This will now be the only recruiting job for Rhythm, as Alex Bittner will not continue with the team.

Both teams had to begin the 2013 season on a lower scoring level compared to 2012 (22.9 - 19.6). At the USPA Nationals, both teams left the rest of the field behind after a great 2013 progression (25.7 - 22.7).

USPA Nationals 2013		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	4way Open/AAA Class	G,9,C,P	F,5,15	1,E,8	4,M,7	H,N,B,O,3	14,20,L	Q,K,12,17	11,16,19	10,A,18	2,22,D	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	38	28	22	26	33(-1)	23	25	20(-1)	19(-1)	21	255	25.5
2	SDC Rhythm XP	33	24	18(-3)	26	29(-2)	21	21	18	18	19	227	22.7
3	Paraclete XP4	28(-1)	21(-1)	19(-2)	23(-1)	27(-2)	20	17(-3)	18	15(-1)	17	205	20.5
4	Golden Knights	26(-1)	22	17	22	28	15(-1)	21	17	16	17	201	20.1
5	Carolina Turbo XP	26(-3)	19	19	22	24(-3)	18	19(-1)	17	16	17	197	19.7

The Sun Path Products NSL News has followed the SDC Rhythm XP story from the very beginnings and covered the team year by year with several stories. It seems to become a never ending success story, just like the one of Arizona Airspeed or the Golden Knights.

The Rhythm members took the time to discuss this year's situation during a weather hold after Round 6 at Skydive Chicago. The audio quality is not very good this time, and interested Rhythm fans have to listen carefully to hear the soft speaking Rhythm members.

It was a very happy Rhythm lineup at this point in time. The two new team members have put together a well working rear piece (Center Inside Christy Frikken - Tail Mikhail Markine), as the videos of the first six rounds are showing, and the perspectives for the 2014 season and the coming years are very promising.

JaNette and Steve Lefkowitz have gone into a second year with the same lineup only once, with Thiago Gomes and Rob Radez in 2010 and 2011. This lineup began with a 17.5 average in March 2010 and finished with a 21.5 average at the USPA Nationals 2011 and 21.8 at the 3rd Dubai Cup.

The new Rhythm lineup stands at a 22.7 average at the end of the first season with two new members, which explains the great spirits in the team. Only the Rhythm 2012 lineup posted a higher average with Thiago Gomes and Chris Farina, both now Arizona Airspeed members.

Rhythm explains the plans for the 2014 season during the NSL Talk. The Rhythm team project is growing in all areas and has extended across the country with new Center Inside Christy Frikken, who still lives and works in Perris, California. The east and west coast combination of all teams under the new Rhythm umbrella accounts for a large number of teams at the USPA Nationals this year. Details of Rhythm's team project can be found at the Rhythm website.