posted Aug 7th, 2014 - The Sun Path Products NSL News covered the AAA Class competition at the Hibaldstow Cup 2014 on 4 August 2014. It was mostly the story of the two British national 4-way teams who will soon compete at the FAI World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2014, Kaizen (4-way Women) and Vision (4-way Open).

The story mentioned that it has been a smooth road to Prostejov for Kaizen so far, while Vision 99 did not know until less than two weeks ago that they would compete for Great Britain as the national 4-way Open Class team.

The short notice and an injury of Center Outside Debbie Lamsley in July caused some complications for Vision 99, which turned out to be resolved very nicely.

Vision 99 will have the third different lineup at the fourth competition this year, and the one at the world meet will be the strongest one, fortunately for the UK team.

Hibaldstow Cup 2014		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Jump-Off	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	5,14,B	15,11,A	G,18,F,4	N,10,Q,7	1,12,M	21,9,O	K,6,8	Total	Avg
1	Kaizen	18	15	17	18	11	20	-	99	16.5
2	Vision 99	18	16	14	14	14	20	-	96	16.0

Simon Guest, Mike Hayes, Ady King and Debbie Lamsley launched the 2014 season at the Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship 2014 and followed up with the same lineup at the World Challenge 2014. Vision 99 finished as the strongest AAA Class team from the United Kingdom in Bedford.

Vision 99 continued with the team's outdoor training at their home DZ, Skydive Dunkeswell in Devon. Their training jumps have been made from the Beech99, and the team was hoping that this would be good exit practice for the L-410 Turbolet at the world meet.

Things changed when Debbie Lamsley broke her wrist in early July. Pete Mather of Dynamite Wolf Squadron was available to fill the slot and has trained and competed with Vision 99 since July. However, he will go back to his own team for the UK Nationals, and Vision 99 needed a new substitute.

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

1

Vision 99

11

14

16

22

18

13

16

17

14

12

153

15.3

World Challenge 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

17,18,19

5,16,6

4,N,13

P,F,12,M

J,D,10,K

G,3,O,C

H,22,14

20,2,8

1,21,11

15,7,L

Total

Avg

1

Vision 99

17

21

16

22

23

24

18

15

16

23

195

19.5

Hibaldstow Cup 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

5,14,B

15,11,A

G,18,F,4

N,10,Q,7

1,12,M

21,9,O

-

-

-

-

Total

Avg

1

Vision 99

18

16

14

14

14

20

-

-

-

-

96

16.0

Simon Guest, Mike Hayes and Ady King asked their coach of the last two years, former XL member Steve Hamilton, to fill the slot at the UK Nationals, and he agreed. However, the story of the third Vision 99 lineup this year was not over yet.

The notice of competing at the world meet for Great Britain came too late for Center Inside Mike Hayes who could not commit to the extra trip to the Czech Republic.

Vision 99 needed another substitute, and help came again from an XL member, who knows the team and has worked with Vision 99, as well, John McIver.

The painful team story now has a happy end for Vision 99, and along with it comes a new XL 2003 story. Thomas Hughes (Arizona Airspeed), Pete Allum (Kaizen), Steve Hamilton and John McIver (Vision 99) will have another unplanned reunion in Prostejov, but that's another story...