posted Sep 30th, 2013 - The Sun Path Products NSL News has not been done yet with the German Nationals 2013, at least not until some video coverage would bring the exciting 1-point battle between Paratec-Saar and EADS closer to the audience.

NSL-TV is now able to present all ten rounds of the old and new German 4way champion, Paratec-Saar, and two rounds of the challenger, EADS, including the featured Round 1 where EADS took a 1-point lead that gave Paratec-Saar a serious headache until the meet was over, and the national team of many years finally saved a 1-point victory over the finish line.

It was a very challenging 2013 season for Paratec-Saar who did not even know how this year's lineup would shape up at the beginning of the season. Two original members had stepped back at the end of the 2013 season (Dieter Schwarz, Max Thiele) and there were no immediate plans how to continue. There seemed to be an open 4way door for other German teams to take the top spot.
Click on the score for a round with a link to see the teams' videos

German 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	AAA Class	B,7,11	P,C,4,5	J,D,O,21	6,18,15	1,L,2	M,9,K,13	19,N,Q,12	G,22,14	E,H,A,8	F,20,3	Total	Avg
1	Paratec-Saar	21	20(-1)	25	17	17	22(-1)	19	16	26	19	202	20.2
2	EADS	22	21	25	16(-1)	16	23	18	15	26	19	201	20.1

Paratec-Saar Rd. 1	EADS Rd. 1

Paratec-Saar then decided to continue with a new lineup. Markus Bastuck and Joern Thiele invited former ISB Air Remscheid members Anne Heinrich and Petra van Overveld to join the team. Things changed again for Paratec-Saar when Anne Heinrich had to step back a few weeks before the national championships due to an injury. Dieter Schwarz came back to help out in his original slot.

The Paratec-Saar videos make it very easy to identify Petra van Overveld who has the only jumpsuit that does not match. It's the ISB Air Remscheid suit that matched better with Anne Heinrich in the earlier lineup.

It was not the first time that Petra van Overveld filled a slot for Paratec-Saar. She had also competed with the team at the German Nationals 2011 when Dieter Schwarz was not available. She won German gold medals in 4way and 8way when her own team could not continue due to Sarah Hajooze's back injury. Now she has added two more gold medals to her German collection.

Competition and results were very different between 2011 and 2013 though. Paratec-Saar posted an 18.5 average in 2011, and Final Four DeLand, with new EADS members Thomas Mack, Chris Schaefer and Andi Troegele (Camera), finished eight points behind with a 17.7 average.

This year, Paratec-Saar and EADS had a 1-point battle, and both teams scored above the magic 20-average benchmark. EADS has never scored so high, and Paratec-Saar has done this only once in a 10-round meet. The 20.8 average at the German Nationals 2009 was also supported by a 33-pointer for a fast sequence, as was the 22.4 average in Menzelinsk 2010 by the famous 55-pointer world record sequence.

This year's 20.2 average surely is the highest one for Petra van Overveld, and Paratec-Saar might be back into the race for the unofficial title of the amateur world champion if the team continues. Plans for the 2014 season have not been made yet...