posted Jan 6th, 2015 - The Sun Path Products NSL News reported on 30 May 2014 that Arizona Airspeed's Mark Kirkby would retire from the active competition lineup after the FAI World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2014 and the USPA Nationals 2014.

Mark Kirkby is the most successful Formation Skydiving competitor in the USA and has been in contention for the same honor worldwide and in the history of the sport. His career story can be found at the NSL Profiles, but only until 2010. The profile story ends long before Mark Kirkby actually retired:

"The new era begins after Airspeed's 8-way dominance of the past 12 years ended when the Golden Knights won the 8-way gold medals at the USPA Nationals 2010. Mark Kirkby's focus with the new Airspeed 4-way lineup is on continuing the 4-way success of the past four years at the USPA Nationals and win back the 4-way gold medals for the USA at the World Meet 2012."

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	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

Videos: Arizona Airspeed in Menzelinsk 2010 and Dubai 2012

Mondial Dubai 2012		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	4way 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

It it time to complete the story, especially since Mark Kirkby eventually really stepped back. His story is so outstanding that the Sun Path Products NSL News kept away so far from the challenging task of honoring his achievements properly and accurately.

The easiest and simplest way to do so would be a very short statement: "He did it." It would explain the whole Mark Kirkby story in three words. He was planning to "win back the 4-way gold medals for the USA at the World Meet 2012", and he did exactly that. Story over.

The interesting part of the missing four years in Mark Kirkby's NSL Profile still comes even after the 2012 gold medal in Dubai. He had already won four world meet gold medals in 4-way (1995 - 1997 - 2001 - 2008) before he brought back 4-way Excalibur to the USA, together with Thomas Hughes, Niklas Hemlin, Josh Hall and Bill Schmitz (Camera).

World Meet 2014		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	E,3,C,5	F,6,D,21	19,H,2	M,4,1	O,14,A,P	8,J,16	7,11,12	22,20,15	17,G,18	13,B,9	Total	Avg
1	NMP-PCH Hayabusa (BE)	32	29	25	25	33	25	22	18	26	29	264	26.4
2	Arizona Airspeed (US)	31	27	25	24	31	23	22	17	24	29	253	25.3
3	Evolution (CA)	31	28	24	22	28	23	20	21	25	27	249	24.9

Videos: Arizona Airspeed in Prostejov 2014 and at the USPA Nationals

USPA Nationals 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	L,F,3,D	8,C,Q,A	9,G,11	P,1,B,H	16,N,15	6,K,J,19	13,14,17	4,O,20	21,10,22	7,2,12	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	33	31	27	32	24	24	19	22	19	21	252	25.2
2	SDC Rhythm XP	31	26	23	27	21	19	19	19	17	18	220	22.0
3	Golden Knights	29	24	23	27	19	22	15	20	16	19	214	21.4

It would have been easy to retire after winning his fifth 4-way gold medal, which has never been accomplished before in the history of the sport. No, Mark Kirkby was not done yet. He did not decide whether to move on or not by counting his gold medals. He was still passionate enough about 4-way competition and continued with the new lineup.

Mark Kirkby's new and last 2-year cycle with Thomas Hughes, Thiago Gomes and Chris Farina ended with a silver medal in Prostejov 2014. He could have said once again that he will bring the sword back in two years, and it would have been no big surprise in 2016. However, he had proven enough earlier in his career and could proudly step back after a 2nd place finish.

He added another USPA gold medal to his collection last year, which might have been the last one of many in 4-way and 8-way.

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The five gold medals at FAI's World Championships of Formation Skydiving are only a part of Mark Kirkby's collection. He also won the 8-way Excalibur in 1999 for a total of six world meet gold medals. Only Craig Girard is one gold medal ahead of him, with two world titles in 4-way and five in 8-way.

It seems like the race for gold medals between Mark Kirkby and Craig Girard is over now. Mark Kirkby will most likely be back for different Airspeed lineups in 4-way and 8-way at USPA Nationals, while Craig Girard has been competing for the United Arab Emirates in the Dubai delegation.

Mark Kirkby will still be available for coaching, and he is also bringing back the Arizona Skydiving League activities in 2015. He can be reached by e-mail.