posted Nov 2nd, 2015 - The new 8-way world record of the Golden Knights at the USPA Nationals 2015, the impressive indoor and outdoor performance of the US Army's 4-way Women Class team, and the new US top team in 4-way VFS, SDC Core, deserved all the given attention. However, there was another topic that was actually the elephant in the room.

The most popular event, 4-way Formation Skydiving competition, produced once again most of the drama at the USPA Nationals, including a jump-off for bronze medals in the AAA/Advanced Class and another one for bronze medals in the AA/Intermediate Class. The smallest one of USPA's three 4-way categories, the AAA/Open Class was still the most anticipated one.

It was the run-up to the national championships that brought the drama to the 4-way Open Class competition. There were a defending champion (Arizona Airspeed) and a very serious challenger (SDC Rhythm XP), which creates athletic drama in any sport, and the final showdown happened last week in Eloy.

USPA Nationals 2015		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	J,H,2,8	6,D,18	F,9,L,O	1,17,E	K,19,N,P	3,7,5	4,A,B,12	11,16,M	15,Q,22	20,14,10	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	27	24	43	23	26(-1)	25	25	23	21	19	256(-1)	25.6
2	SDC Rhythm XP	22(-1)	21(-1)	42	25	27	20(-1)	23	20(-1)	20	16(-1)	236(-5)	23.6
3	Golden Knights	23	19(-2)	37(-1)	22(-1)	24(-3)	19(-2)	23	21	19	17	224(-9)	22.4
4	Carolina Turbo XP	22(-1)	20	34	22	25	20	19	21	18	16	217(-1)	21.7

SDC Rhythm XP had left no doubt that the team wanted to win the USPA Nationals 2015 to qualify as the US national 4-way team and compete for the US delegation at the Mondial 2016 on the Rhythm home turf at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa.

The goal of winning the USPA Nationals has been identical with defeating Arizona Airspeed for many years. In fact, Arizona Airspeed has now won the US 4-way title 19 times in the last 22 years. Only the Golden Knights (2002), DeLand Majik (2003, 2004), DeLand Fire (2005) and DeLand Groove (2006) got in Airspeed's 4-way when the longest standing team franchise focused more on the 8-way competition.

Airspeed did not win the USPA 4-way gold medals between 2002 and 2006. However, it was the time period when Airspeed's 8-way lineup won all USPA gold medals in this event, along with two silver medals and one gold medal for the US delegation at the world meets in Gap 2003, Rijeka 2004 and Gera 2006.

Airspeed gave back first priority to 4-way competition in 2007 and has won the USPA gold medals every single year ever since. It is not difficult to see what a monumental challenge it was for SDC Rhythm XP to bring down the US giant in Formation Skydiving competition.

However, nothing is impossible, and SDC Rhythm XP has shown a very consistent progression towards the world class medal level and has reduced the distance to Airspeed year by year. Rhythm's problem was not the lack of progress. Airspeed has simply never allowed any US contender to get too close, with each new lineup's own progression.

The vast amount of combined competition experience between the team members even allows Airspeed to make adjustments during the meet, if it becomes necessary. There was a critical phase last week in Eloy when Rhythm got over the shocking situation after Round 2 (eight points behind) and came back with a good Round 3.

Rhythm then won Round 4 by two points over Airspeed and reduced the difference by another point in Round 4. The Airspeed lead was down to six points, with six more rounds to go. Rhythm could have caught up with Airspeed if the battle had continued the same way.

It did not happen. Airspeed's Inside Center Chris Farina told the Sun Path Products NSL News after the competition that his team was not happy at all after Round 4. The Airspeed members looked at each other and said that such a thing like losing a round was not going to happen again: "I saw a completely different look in Thomas' eyes in Round 5. His determination left no doubt that Airspeed would perform on top level, and we were all on the same page."

Airspeed won Round 6 by five points and performed on the same commitment level for the remaining five rounds. There was nothing SDC Rhythm XP could do about it...