posted Sep 12th, 2014 - This time of the year brings meet after meet to teams and competitors and to the audience. Most of the national championships are being held at the end of the summer season in the western hemisphere.

Whenever the world meets or world cups take place in one of the same countries, the national teams have a busier agenda than all other teams, and it is not unusual at all that the nationals take place after the international events.

The Sun Path Products NSL News recently covered the FAI World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2014 in the Czech Republic, the UK Nationals 2014 and the German Nationals 2014. The coming weekend brings on the USPA Nationals 2014 at Skydive Chicago, while the British 8-way teams compete for their national title, once again in Hibaldstow.

The USPA Nationals traditionally begin with the 4-way competition, and the first scores will be posted on Saturday. USPA has offered three categories in the traditional 4-way event (Open - Advanced - Intermediate), plus two categories in VFS 4-way (Open - Advanced) in the past. This year, there is also a new 4-way Women category with a separate leaderboard, only for the AAA Class dive pool though.

What can be expected in the 4-way Open Class competition? The USPA gold medals will definitely end up in Arizona again, and Airspeed will compete for the last time with Mark Kirkby in the Tail slot. As every year, the only open question is the distance between Airspeed and SDC Rhythm XP. Rhythm has been trying to get closer to the US 4-way champion for several years.

Mikhail Markine has become eligible for USPA medals this year, and the current Rhythm lineup will can official USPA silver medals. Rhythm had to compete as a guest team at the USPA Nationals 2013.

There is also a similar open question between SDC Rhythm XP and their own challengers from behind. The Golden Knights won the silver medals last year, closely followed by Carolina Turbo XP. Both teams have continued with their internal challenge throughout the 2014 season trying to push each other upward.

This internal rivalry may have decreased the distance to SDC Rhythm XP as a result. The Golden Knights did not finish with a much higher average at the world meet compared to the USPA Nationals 2013 (20.4 - 20.1) and will be eager to show higher numbers this weekend. Carolina Turbo XP on the other hand sees the opportunity to move past the US Army team.

Behind the pro teams, there is usually the race for the best unofficial amateur team in the USA, which includes the pursuit of the highest unofficial amateur meet average in the USA. Mass Defiance owned this record (19.3) for many years until DNR (James "Malibu" Klinge, Ben Liston, Brian Stephens, Steve Johnson, with Pat Walker on camera) shattered it (20.7) at the USPA Nationals 2012. Arizona Prime (Don Burnette, Nick Grillet, Ari Perelman, Shannon Pilcher, Jim Stengell on camera) won the amateur title last year with a 19.3 average.