posted Jun 17th, 2005 - The second big meet weekend of the 2005 season will take place at ten different locations this weekend. Nine NSL leagues have scheduled their competitions for June 18-19 , and the Dutch Handicap Competition (DHC) holds its traditional and most popular 4-way event, the Tomscat Trophy, this weekend in the Netherlands, as well.

The Tomscat Trophy is an annual event and serves to commemorate the two members of the Dutch 4-way team Tomscat, Remie Herder and Sjaak Strating, who were killed in Perris Valley on April 24th, 1992 in a plane chrash. This was the same plane crash where members of the U.S. team Airmoves were killed. Airspeed veteran Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld was a member of the Airmoves and survided the crash. More details about the accident and BC's dramatic survival and comeback can be found at the NSL Profile on Dan BC.

The other two Tomscat members, Gerard Fidom and Jos Arkes, and team videographer Arie Slob are still skydiving at the Paracentrum in Eelde-Hoogeveen, which hosts the competition this weekend. Tomscat was composed of skydivers from two clubs: the Paracentrum Eelde-Hoogeveen and the Skydiving Club of Rotterdam.

The Tomscat Trophy has been organised annually since 1994. The Paracentrum Eelde-Hoogeveen and the Skydiving Club of Rotterdam take turns in hosting the event. Mike Pennock is the event organiser in Rotterdam. Joeke de Jong organises the 8th Tomscat Trophy this year in Hoogeveen.

The Tomscat Trophy is the largest competition in Holland. Even the Dutch national championship is a smaller event. 18 teams competed in two competition classes last year. The Dutch line-up of Punky Fish won the AAA Class competition last year, the 4tunates took the first place in the A Class.

This weekend's meets in the USA are mostly hosted by skydiving centers on the eastern side of the country. This might ba a good coincidence since the USA map shows critical weather on the west coast. Only a low pressure area over the New England area seems to have the potential of interfering seriously with this meet weekend.

The CanAm Skydiving League has scheduled the 2005 season opener at Skydive Burnaby, while the Virginia Parachute Council is ready to launch the 2005 season at Skydive Suffolk. All the other leagues have already held at least one competition this year.

The AAA Class will have its top contender this weekend at the Mideast Skydiving League on Team Fastrax' home turf in Greensburg. The Florida Skydiving League might add some higher AAA Class results to the scoreboard at the competition in Zephyrhills. The new team with Ron Hill, Steve Johnston, Al Brooks and Jim Klinge has the talent and experience for top level scoring.

FSL team Teiwa-Z-Hills brings once again two line-ups to the table with several repeat offenders and former members, including new DeLand Majik's tail Robert Healy and DeLand Fire's point Natasha Montgomery. Fire's alternate Thomas Hughes will also join the Teiwaz line-up this weekend.

Dallas Thunder and Blunder competed in the AAA Class at the first Texas Skydiving League meet of the 2005 season. PNF and Inviscid of the Georgia Skydiving League will probably complete the AAA Class field.

The AA Class competition this year have included Fast Forward of the Northern Plains Skydiving League, Airlock from Georgia, MESL teams Soylent Greene, Vortex and Airtight, Air Pollution and Controlled Descent of the MidAtlantic Skydiving League and five more teams from Texas (4 Fun Part Deux, Airtight, Spaceland Avalanche, 8 Balls, Morpheus). NPSL team Fast Forward has been the highest scorer of all leagues competing this weekend in the AA Class.

The A Class competition has been most exciting at the Midwest Skydiving League so far. Skydive Chicago Furies, Chicago Sirens, Nite Hooker and the Pimps, One Fifty One have been very close at the season opener and promise more great competition this weekend. 4-Play completed the A Class in the Midwest. The Georgia Skydiving League has A Class teams with Club Stiletto.com, Last Minute and 4 Play, as well, while FSL team Zero Tolerance Miami has been the busiest A Class team of the 2005 season so far.

The Whaller Whirlwinds from Texas and MASL team Fourth Element are tied with the highest meet average in the 2005 Rookie Class. Chambersburg 5, Falling Rocks and SuperKat competed in Cross Keys at the last MASL meet, as well. Wild Wing and Funnel U have competed in the TSL Rookie Class competition. Fourway Fourplay (MESL) and OkieSpeed (NPSL) will hopefully also be back this weekend. Scores, stories, pictures and meet videos will be posted as soon as possible.