posted Feb 25th, 2016 - The duel between Arizona Airspeed and NMP PCH Hayabusa for the world's top spot in 4-way competition has a long history, and it has taken place at locations all over the planet.

The Belgian team came from far behind when Airspeed's earlier lineups had established the dynasty's top position many years ago.

Hayabusa has eventually taken away all titles that Airspeed used to own.

It began with the Belgian domination at indoor events and was completed when Hayabusa won the gold medals at the FAI World Championship of Formation Skydiving in Prostejov 2014.

However, there is still one major event that Arizona Airspeed has dominated since 2007. Airspeed has never been defeated yet at the Shamrock Showdown in DeLand, and the U.S. national team has no intention to let any team take away the last of the top achievements.

Shamrock Showdown 2008			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class		18,7,15	9,10,14	4,F,M,A	L,H,E,6	3,P,5	G,C,J,D,B	12,13,Q	1,16,20	21,N,O,2	19,11,22	Total	Avg
1	Airspeed Odyssey	US	21	22	32	30	25	42	22	17	22	19	252	25.2
2	Maubeuge	FR	21	18	30	28	24	45	21	19	22	19	247	24.7
3	Evolution	CA	18	19	27	27	20	36	19	17	20	17	220	22.0

Arizona Airspeed has made the spring trip to DeLand eight times since 2007 and will be back at this year's competition. Airspeed is not at all undefeated in DeLand due to lack of strong competition.

There has not been a competition yet where either the international top challengers or national medal contenders tried to win in DeLand when Airspeed was there.

Eliana Rodriguez, Craig Girard, Mark Kirkby and Andy Delk (Steve Nowak on camera) fought off the French national team of 2008,who would end up one single point behind Airspeed at the FAI World Meet in Maubeuge later the same year and then win the gold medals in 2010.

Thomas Hughes, Mark Kirkby, Niklas Hemlin and Josh Hall (Bill Schmitz on camera) won over Hayabusa and France in March 2012 before the three teams finished in exactly the same order at the FAI Mondial Dubai 2012.

Paraclete XP Outdoor 2012			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class		Q,8,H,22	16,19,13	10,14,2	E,C,20,K	5,M,9	A,6,F,17	D,21,N,B	P,O,G,J,1	18,4,7	12,15,3	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	US	25	20	18	35	36	25	33	31	23	20	266	26.6
2	NMP-PCH Hayabusa	BE	23	21	20	33	34	29	30	30	20	21	261	26.1
3	Aerodyne Aerokart	FR	23	21	19	33	29	28	28	29	23	21	254	25.4

Arizona Airspeed's 2008 lineup missed only the Shamrock Showdown 2010, where the French team took the 1st place (over Hayabusa and Perris Fury) and then won the FAI gold medals in Menzelinsk 2010.

In 2014, Hayabusa was ready to do what the other gold medal winners had done in world meet years: win in DeLand in March and then in Prostejov.

The other three medal contenders (Airspeed - Evolution - France) were in DeLand, as well, ready for the serious outdoor test at the beginning of the competition season.

Hayabusa was still training on Friday, even though Roy Janssen was sick.

It got worse, and Hayabusa had to withdraw. The three top teams in DeLand then finished once again in exactly the same order in Prostejov - only behind the gold medal winner from Belgium with a healthy Roy Janssen.

Paraclete XP Outdoor 2014			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class		18,2,O	D,19,22	G,C,P,10	9,A,L,H	K,16,B,Q	7,4,21	11,15,F	M,3,E,8	6,1,17	20,12,J	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	US	20	20	28	46	33	24	23	20	19	21	254	25.4
2	Evolution	CA	21	22	25	40	30	21	23	23	20	19	244	24.4
3	VoltR	FR	20	19	24	36	29	21	20	22	20	16	227	22.7

NMP PCH Hayabusa did not come back to DeLand last year and is missing this year's Shamrock Showdown, as well.

However, Black Cat, Russia's 4-way medal contender, will challenge Arizona Airspeed, and the Qatar Tigers have become a dangerous underdog.

The Shamrock Showdown 2016 will also feature the first confrontation between the new lineups of Arizona Airspeed and SDC Rhythm XP.

The Sun Path Products NSL News has covered the personnel changes in both teams with several articles, and the DeLand event will define the starting point in the race for the top spot in the U.S.A.

This starting point is a very important mark, as Airspeed will be facing another change in the lineup after the USPA Nationals 2016 when Thomas Hughes steps back. SDC Rhythm XP will have completed a year of training and competition with the new lineup by then and might be very close to the new Airspeed 2017 lineup. How close...?