posted Aug 6th, 2009 - The German Nationals 2009 have been completed, while the Russian Nationals 2009 have been on a weather hold ever since Round 2 was completed.

In the meantime, the next three national championships are in the final preparations. Teams in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom will begin competing for medals, honors and the status of the official national team this weekend.

The bad weather in Russia gave officials and teams enough time to discuss the rules. Some interesting issues came up, which determined the strategy of judging at the Russian Nationals 2009. The NSL News will get back to these judging topics later.

FSC Eisenach-Paratec wrapped up the competition in Germany and eventually dominated from the beginning to the end. The defending and new 4-way champion had not trained much this year and was challenged by the former EADS champions and X-Ray Remscheid.

Both challengers did well. EADS came back on the same performance and scoring level as in 2006 and before the team decided to discontinue training and competition. X-Ray Remscheid improved the team's 2008 average by a point and finished with a new team record. Coach Gary Smith reported some bad luck in a few rounds and that the team could have scored higher.

In fact, X-Ray tied the winner's scores in five of the ten rounds. However, X-Ray was not able to keep up with the national team in the faster sequences where Eisenach simply ran away from the field.

Eisenach was well prepared after using the very little training efficiently with coach Solly Williams and peaked with the perfect timing. The 20.8 average included a new German record score for a single round and stands for the highest meet average that a German 4-way team has ever scored. It was also the first time that FSC Eisenach-Paratec broke the 20.0 average mark in a 10-round meet.

The excellent 4-way performance this week has lifted the German team up to world class level. Eisenach did not only break through the 20-average level, the 21-point benchmark was only two single points away.

Eisenach will now easily repeat the double gold harvest of the past two years. Eisenach and EADS will once again join forces for the 8-way competition at the German Nationals 2009. The EADS 8-way lineup took the 4th place at the World Meet 2008 in France after a battle with the Italian team for the bronze medals. There is no real competition in Germany for this lineup.

The Chicas defended their title successfully in the female category. Incognito Leutkirch won the last four rounds by one point, but it was not enough. The Chicas were already in a safe position, carried the 6-point lead after Round 6 easily over the finish line and finished with a new team record, as well. Skills and experience won over talent and energy.

Pacmen took the warning by PSV Fire after Round 6 very seriously and continued with a dominating performance in the A Class competition from then on. Pacmen posted the sole highscore for each round between 7 and 10 and eventually won the German Nationals 2009 by five points over the team from Berlin.

The NSL News is now waiting for news from Russia and will begin with the coverage of the coming national championships very soon.