posted Nov 15th, 2015 - The USPA Nationals 2015 featured once again the duel for Open Class bronze medals between Golden Knights and Carolina Turbo XP, which has taken place right behind the two top teams, Arizona Airspeed and SDC Rhythm XP, in the past years.

It was not always like that. Both teams competed together in the Open Class for the first time at the USPA Nationals 2011, where they placed 8th (Golden Knights) and 10th (Turbo). A year later, they finished in 3rd (Golden Knights) and 6th (Turbo) place.

They were finally locked into their 3rd and 4th places at the USPA Nationals 2013, which has not changed in 2014 and 2015. It was a 1-point battle at the USPA Nationals 2014 with the same outcome, and the Golden Knights added a few points to the difference this year.

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

Carolina Turbo XP's team history and progression alone is impressive enough, as the graph clearly shows. Turbo even outscored the Golden Knights once at the Paraclete XP Outdoor Championships 2014 (20.1 - 18.8) when the French Girls visited DeLand for an early battle with the US Army team at the beginning of the world meet year.

The Golden Knights ended up in 2nd place at the world meet in Prostejov 2014 but came back strongly to the USPA Nationals and won the bronze medals with a 21.4 average, one point ahead of Carolina Turbo XP.

Both teams continued with the same lineups in 2015, and Turbo finished once again with a new team record average for a 10-round meet at the USPA Nationals. It was still not enough for the bronze medals, as the Golden Knights came to Eloy at the end of the team's most successful competition season.

It was an extremely challenging schedule for the Golden Knights, who had just won the 1st FAI World Indoor Skydiving Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, a few days earlier. However, the indoor gold medals in Prague and the confidence that the team had finally taken the 4-way Women top position in the world gave the Golden Knights enough energy to follow Carolina Turbo XP with a new team record average for a 10-round outdoor competition. Turbo had to settle once again with the 4th place, seven points behind.

The Golden Knights are not done yet, as the trip to Dubai is still coming, with the Clash of Champions followed by the World Air Games. The new French national team in 4-way Women will attend both events, and the US Army team has the opportunity to confirm the current top position in the world.

The French Girls won the FAI World Cup 2015 with the previous lineup, and the Golden Knights missed the event in Teuge. The new French Girls, with Pamela Lissajoux, then competed at the Hurricane Factory and placed 2nd. The outdoor competition at the World Air Games will settle the 2015 account between USA and France in this category...