posted Aug 15th, 2014 - The Sun Path Products NSL News reported on 7 August 2014 that the British national 4-way team Vision 99 will compete with their third different 2014 lineup at the FAI World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2014.

The same story mentioned that the new Vision 99 center is identical with the center of the British national 4-way team of 2003, XL. Steve Hamilton is in the Center Outside slot and has John McIver across of him in the Center Inside position.

Steve Hamilton later trained and competed with Italy's national 4-way team Sinapsi at the World Meet 2010 in Menzelinsk, where John McIver was his opponent with the British national 4-way team Satori. Steve Hamilton made it to the finals and Round 10 with Sinapsi, while the meet was over for Satori after Round 9.

World Meet 2010		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open Class	10,7,12	3,11,5	J,M,Q,P,L	19,1,13	N,18,20	K,17,8	2,15,H	4,D,6	O,E,9,G	22,B,16	Total	Avg
1	Aerodyne Aerokart (FR)	21	22	56	20	22	24	22	24	40	26	277	27.7
2	Arizona Airspeed (US)	22	21	53	23	20	24	23	25	40	23	274	27.4
3	Sky Panthers (RU)	19	21	56	21	19	21	23	22	41	21	264	26.4
4	NMP-PCH Hayabusa (BE)	21	21	55	20	17	20	23	22	36	18	253	25.3
5	Evolution (CA)	19	19	51	20	18	22	21	21	31	18	240	24.0
6	Sinapsi (IT)	19	19	49	16	20	17	21	19	37	19	236	23.6
7	Paratec-Saar (DE)	16	18	53	17	15	18	16	19	30	-	202	22.4
8	Satori (UK)	18	18	47	16	17	18	17	18	29	-	198	22.0
9	Dynamic Fource (NL)	17	18	44	16	16	15	16	18	26	-	186	20.7
10	Pro Team (FI)	17	16	43	14	15	17	17	17	28	-	184	20.4

Sinapsi had another former XL member in the 2010 lineup, who competed against Satori with John McIver. Pete Allum had already won a bronze medal for Italy with Sinapsi in 2006 before Steve Hamilton joined the team. Sinapsi did not compete for Italy in Maubeuge 2008 and came back with both former XL members in 2010.

All four XL members eventually met for an outdoor reunion at the Mondial Dubai 2012. Thomas Hughes had joined Arizona Airspeed and won the 4-way gold medals. Pete Allum substituted for an injured Ex3mo member and fought hard against Satori with John McIver for the last slot in the finals. Satori was more successful this time and made the second cut, while the meet was over for Ex3mo.

Steve Hamilton was not in the air in Dubai. He was coaching Norway's national team in 4-way Women, Polaris, to the bronze medals.

Mondial Dubai 2012 2012		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open Class	5,12,E	6,D,B,K	O,8,7	N,13,18	10,21,M	19,H,11	C,G,1,A	20,9,15	16,F,P,Q	2,J,4	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed (US)	27	34	27	22	23	23	32	25	40	26	279	27.9
2	NMP-PCH Hayabusa (BE)	25	34	27	21	23	24	32	27	40	25	278	27.8
3	Aerodyne Aerokart (FR)	26	30	27	21	23	25	29	23	37	24	265	26.5
4	Evolution (CA)	22	31	24	17	19	21	28	22	30	22	236	23.6
5	Sky Panthers Barkli (RU)	19	29	22	21	21	18	28	20	35	20	233	23.3
6	Satori (UK)	18	26	21	17	15	18	23	17	27	18	200	20.0
7	Ex3mo 4 (IT)	17	24	20	14	17	19	22	18	28	-	179	19.9
8	Paratec-Saar (DE)	18	26	21	13	14	16	21	18	30	-	177	19.7
9	Rotor Out (AU)	14	25	18	15	17	18	22	17	28	-	174	19.3
10	Bardagi (SE)	17	26	20	14	16	15	23	17	24	-	172	19.1

The XL outdoor reunion will happen again this year at the world meet, and the roles change once again. It will be Pete Allum's turn to stay on the ground, and he will try to win the bronze medals in the same event as Steve Hamilton in 2012. He has been working with Kaizen for several years, and the UK team has a very good chance to win the bronze medals in 4-way Women that Steve Hamilton won with Polaris in 2012.

At the same time, Thomas Hughes will try to defend his 4-way gold medal in the open class. He is not facing direct competition from his former XL team mates. Vision 99, with Steve Hamilton and John McIver, will first be aiming at one of the Top 10 positions and a slot in the semifinals. After that, they might also be involved in the battle for the 6th place and the final round.

XL had their indoor reunion of the original 2003 lineup at the World Challenge 2014, even though Arizona Airspeed did not travel to Bedford. Thomas Hughes competed for XL anyway, but John McIver had committed to another team. The Sun Path Products NSL News will report from the next XL reunion in Prostejov...