posted Aug 8th, 2009 - 47 teams are currently scoring an attendance record of recent years at the UK Nationals 2009.

Last year's 43 teams were already evidence for the British upswing in 4-way Formation Skydiving competition. This year's numbers for all four competition classes are even more convincing.

Many of the teams have already competed earlier this year at the meets of the United Kingdom Skydiving League (UKSL), others are joining the national championships for the first time or are just having fun there.

The competition began this morning, and it is a smooth operation at Skydive Hibaldstow where UK's national championships have been held since 1996, with one exception. The 47 teams have already completed three rounds, and Round 4 is in progress. Camscore is providing the judging and DZ-TV services.

There is no surprise in the AAA Class competition where Satori is posting impressive scores and runs away from the rest of the field. However, there is an exciting race for the bronze medals between four teams, while the silver medal position is in Pussy Galore's possession.

This team name brings up an interesting aspect of the UK Nationals 2009. Pussy Galore is one of several female lineups in the field of UK teams and consists of former British 4-way world champions in the female category and Bodyflight Storm members. The NSL News introduced the lineup already during the World Challenge 2009 with the story on 12 April 2009.

The situation is quite interesting with the UK teams in the female category. Pussy Galore is obviously the strongest team at the moment. The Bodyflight Storm lineup that won the World Championship of Formation Skydiving last year in France did not continue. However, Sarah Smith maintained the team name and recruited a new lineup. Storm is currently in 6th place and battles for the bronze medal position.

Another former 4-way world champion in the female category competes with Satori, Center Outside Julia Foxwell. She has Point Katie Woods as her piece partner in the front piece. There is a realistic chance that ten of the twelve medals for the three top positions in the AAA Class will go to female 4-way competitors.

Neither Pussy Galore nor Storm is UK's official national 4-way team in the female category. Kaizen, currently in 8th place, will represent the United Kingdom at the FAI World Cup 2009. Rai Ahmed, Liz Cass, Jo Hawley and Clara Melia have consistently worked their way up through the competition classes and have now been working on their AAA Class average, which increases with the same consistency.

It will be interesting to see which female lineup will eventually represent the United Kingdom at the World Meet in Russia 2010.