posted Apr 10th, 2014 - The aftermath of the Paraclete XP Indoor and Outdoor Championship 2014 week was interrupted for the coverage of the World Challenge 2014, and it is time to continue with some topics that deserve more attention, as well.

The Sun Path Products NSL News evaluated the situation between the currently two best US 4way teams, Arizona Airspeed and SDC Rhythm XP, with the story on 25 March 2014. The end of the story was the hint of more information related to those two teams who have been quite secure in their US positions since the end of the 2011 season when Perris Fury retired.

There has been a third US team trying to get closer to the top level and doing this very successfully. Carolina Turbo XP has once again quietly reduced the distance to the US top teams at the first two events of the 2014 competition season.

Paraclete XP Indoor 2014		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	K,13,22	15,3,10	D,B,6,9	G,7,E,18	11,4,L	A,21,1	J,Q,N,12	C,F,8,O	P,17,M,14	2,16,20	Total	Avg
5	SDC Rhythm XP (US)	21	20	36	28	23	23	27	30	29	19	256	25.6
6	Aerodyne French Girls (FR)	22	20	35	26	23	24	26	28	28	20	252	25.2
7	Carolina Turbo XP (US)	21	19	35	27	22	22	26	31	26	18	247	24.7
8	Golden Knights (US)	18	20	30	27	22	24	27	28	25	20	241	24.1

Paraclete XP Outdoor 2014		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	18,2,O	D,19,22	G,C,P,10	9,A,L,H	K,16,B,Q	7,4,21	11,15,F	M,3,E,8	6,1,17	20,12,J	Total	Avg
4	SDC Rhythm XP (US)	21	18	24	34	28	20	20	22	16	17	220	22.0
5	Aerodyne French Girls (FR)	20	19	23	32	25	20	20	21	18	18	216	21.6
6	Carolina Turbo XP (US)	18	15	20	30	27	18	19	20	18	16	201	20.1
7	Golden Knights (US)	18	17	22	24	25	17	18	18	14	15	188	18.8

Four teams finished in exactly the same ranking order at both Paraclete XP events, and the results of the same four teams indicate the progress of Carolina Turbo XP, as well. Turbo does not really need the other teams to measure their scoring progression. The team's own numbers are convincing enough.

Turbo's 2014 lineup, with Nick Grillet in the Tail slot, has turned the 20.1 indoor average of 2013 into their best outdoor average within a year. They have also lifted the indoor average to 24.7 in the same time period.

That was too much for the Golden Knights who finished ahead of Carolina Turbo XP at the USPA Nationals 2013 with their own 20.1 average. Turbo outscored the US Army team at both Paraclete XP events and seems to be on the way to win the team's first USPA Open Class medals this year.

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	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
2	SDC Rhythm XP	33	24	18	26	29	21	21	18	18	19	227	22.7
4	Golden Knights	26	22	17	22	28	15	21	17	16	17	201	20.1
5	Carolina Turbo XP	26	19	19	22	24	18	19	17	16	17	197	19.7

A spot on the USPA podium at national championships is nothing new for two of the Turbo members. Andrew Happick and Doug Barron won USPA gold medals in the AA/Intermediate Class in 2009 and followed up with gold in the AAA/Advanced Class a year later.

The current lineup with Joey Freeman, Nick Grillet and Chad Wilcox on Camera has more gold medals in mind, and Carolina Turbo XP is on the right track. The distance to SDC Rhythm XP in 2nd place was a 3-point average (19.7 - 22.7) at the USPA Nationals 2013. It was down to 1.9 (22.0 - 20.1) at the first outdoor competition this year.

Getting closer to SDC Rhythm XP also means that Turbo has reduced the distance to the reigning 4way world champions. Arizona Airspeed and SDC Rhythm XP have maintained their scoring levels, as the same article explained. Teams and competitors in the Carolina Skydiving League region have a very good reason to meet Carolina Turbo XP at this year's meets...