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Airspeed has been looking for the best solution for the crisis ever since, which occurred just a month before the start of the most important 4-way competition. The unfortunate story has now at least a happy end since the most wanted substitute has confirmed to help out in the emergency situation.
Former Airspeed point Josh Hall will fill the slot until after the event next month and train as much with the team as the schedules allow on both ends. The Airspeed training with the new Mondial lineup begins this weekend at Skydive Arizona.
FAI Mondial 2012 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Total | Avg | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | 4-way Open | 5,12,E | 6,D,B,K | O,8,7 | N,13,18 | 10,21,M | 19,H,11 | C,G,1,A | 20,9,15 | 16,F,P,Q | 2,J,4 | Total | Avg | |
1 | Arizona Airspeed | US | 27 | 34 | 27 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 32 | 25 | 40 | 26 | 279 | 27.9 |
2 | NMP-PCH Hayabusa | BE | 25 | 34 | 27 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 32 | 27 | 40 | 25 | 278 | 27.8 |
3 | Aerodyne Aerokart | FR | 26 | 30 | 27 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 29 | 23 | 37 | 24 | 265 | 26.5 |
The situation before Mikhail Markine's injury had been indicating a potential duel between NMP PCH HayaBusa and Arizona Airspeed for the FAI gold medals. The Airspeed chances for a real battle with the Belgian 4-way world champions sank instantly after the unfortunate accident in sub-terminal Block 7 air.
In fact, the teams right behind Airspeed and HayaBusa on the virgin Mondial leaderboard (Evolution, France, Black Cat, Qatar Tigers) may have even seen a chance to challenge Airspeed for the silver medal position, as the Canadian team did in Prostejov 2014.
FAI World Meet 2014 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Total | Avg | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | 4-way Open | E,3,C,5 | F,6,D,21 | 19,H,2 | M,4,1 | O,14,A,P | 8,J,16 | 7,11,12 | 22,20,15 | 17,G,18 | 13,B,9 | Total | Avg | |
1 | NMP-PCH Hayabusa | BE | 32 | 29 | 25 | 25 | 33 | 25 | 22 | 18 | 26 | 29 | 264 | 26.4 |
2 | Arizona Airspeed | US | 31 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 31 | 23 | 22 | 17 | 24 | 29 | 253 | 25.3 |
3 | Evolution | CA | 31 | 28 | 24 | 22 | 28 | 23 | 20 | 21 | 25 | 27 | 249 | 24.9 |
However, the teams with potentially new hopes for a chance to fight for the silver medals may experience a setback with Josh Hall's comeback. The Airspeed lineup for the Mondial 2016 is probably as strong as the one at the Mondial Dubai 2012, when three members of the current Airspeed lineup won the gold medals by one point over HayaBusa.
NMP PCH Hayabusa and Arizona Airspeed are actually in a very similar situation four weeks before Round 1 at Skydive Chicago. Both teams have three 2012 members in the same three slots: HayaBusa with Dennis Praet (Point), Andy Grauwels (Outside Center), David Grauwels (Inside Center) - Airspeed with Josh Hall (Point), Thomas Hughes (Outside Center), Niklas Hemlin (Inside Center).
FAI Mondial 2016 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Total | Avg | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | 4-way Open | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Total | Avg | |
1 | NMP PCH HayaBusa | BE | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0.0 |
2 | Arizona Airspeed | US | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0.0 |
3 | Evolution | CA | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0.0 |
4 | France | FR | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0.0 |
5 | Black Cat | RU | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0.0 |
6 | Qatar Tigers | QA | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0.0 |
Thomas Hughes, Niklas Hemlin and Josh Hall have trained together for two full years in their current slots and then won the gold medals in Dubai 2012. Thiago Gomes knows the tail slot as nobody else and has two years with Airspeed in the same slot in the books.
It seems like the teams behind HayaBusa and Airspeed might have to re-consider their chances for silver medals. It also seems like the reigning 4-way world champions from Belgium will be well advised to arrive at Skydive Chicago ready for a battle...