posted Oct 24th, 2016 - The Open Class competition at the USPA Nationals 2016 began with an exciting shocker when SDC Rhythm XP took a 1-point lead over Arizona Airspeed. Could it really be possible that the challenger was ready to cause some serious problems for the defending champion?

The answer came quickly in the next round, and Airspeed is now 23 points ahead after Round 7. Thomas Hughes will retire with a USPA gold medal, and Ari Perelman, who is competing with Arizona Zulu this week, will have to defend the title next year, while SDC Rhythm XP is showing clearly that the real charge begins right after this national championship is over.

The Super Sequence in Round 7 did not produce a new world record. Russia and France had the faster sequence at the world meet in Menzelinsk 2010 and still own the record with 56-pointers. USPA's Open Class medals are undisputed, and bronze-medalist-to-be, the Golden Knights, have a very interesting pickup team with 4-way and 8-way world champions, including Jen and Matt Davidson, Sean Sweeney and Kurt Isenbarger, with Scott Janise on camera. Shannon Pilcher is on camera for SDC Rhythm XP.

USPA Nationals 2016		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open	20,D,E,22	M,9,5	12,8,7	H,L,16,15	F,A,N,J,17	G,6,3	K,B,Q,P,C	18,10,11	13,21,4	14,1,19	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	22(-1)	37	21	24	39	21	47	-	-	-	211	30.1
2	SDC Rhythm XP	23	35	19	19	28	19	45	-	-	-	188	26.9
3	Golden Knights	20	24(-4)	18(-1)	24	33	19	38	-	-	-	176	25.1
G	AARsPeed	19	28	17(-1)	13(-8)	28	17	33	-	-	-	155	22.1
4	Mass Defiance	17	23	17	16(-3)	28	17	33	-	-	-	151	21.6
5	Arizona Alpha	18	27	15	19	26	16	29	-	-	-	150	21.4

Mass Defiance has an impressive comeback of the original lineup. Only videographer Steve "Scuba" Feldman is missing the reunion due to a recent health issue. His team is in the middle of a serious battle for the 4th place with former Airspeed members.

However, only Arizona Alpha, with player coach Mark Kirkby, can officially place 4th. It is somehow ironical that this year's AARsPeed lineup is not eligible due to one of the members, Craig Girard. He competed for the United Arab Emirates at the world meet in Prostejov 2014 and cannot win an official USPA placement at this point in time.

The Texas AAA/Open Class battle between Dallas 350 and Spaceland Lite is tied after Round 7, and the last three rounds will not break the tie easily, as each sequence consists of three blocks.

USPA Nationals 2016		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
R.	4-way Advanced	20,D,E,22	M,9,5	12,8,7	H,L,16,15	F,A,N,J,17	G,6,3	K,B,Q,P,C	18,10,11	13,21,4	14,1,19	Total	Avg
1	Skydive Midwest NEXT	16	21	12	13	26	16	31	-	-	-	135	19.3
2	Ranch 2nd Generation	13	17	13	15	20	14	24	-	-	-	116	16.6
2	CSC Survival Instinct	12	20	11	14	23	13	23	-	-	-	116	16.6
4	AF Bachelor Party	13	19	13	15	18	14	20	-	-	-	112	16.0
5	AZ Defiance	13	18	12	14	18	13	22	-	-	-	110	15.7
6	AF Obsidian	13	18	11	12	18	14	21	-	-	-	107	15.3
G	CSC Swift	12	16	10	14	20	12	21	-	-	-	105	15.0
7	Four Horseman	11	15	13	15	19	11	19	-	-	-	103	14.7

Skydive Midwest Next is far ahead in USPA's Advanced Class competition. There are not many teams in USPA history who have won consecutive gold medals, first in the Intermediate, then in the Advanced Class. SDMW Next won the AA Class title last year, trained the AAA Class dive pool and competed in the Midwest Skydiving League this year to win the Advanced Class gold medals this week with an impressive performance.

VTSD/Carolina Turbo XP achieved the same double gold in 2009/2010, with current SDC Rhythm XP members Andrew Happick and Doug Barron in the lineup. SDMW Next might join them on the Open Class leaderboard next year.

The tunnel rats of the 2nd Generation from The Ranch skipped the AA/Intermediate Class after winning the AA/Intermediate Class competition at the Paraclete XP Indoor Championship 2016 and try to leave Midwest Skydiving League team CSC Survival Instinct behind in the battle for the silver medals. The highscores go deep in the Advanced Class, as even the Four Horseman, with player coach Kirk Verner, posted the highscores in two rounds.

USPA Nationals 2016		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Intermediate	22,O,8	1,21	A,E,Q,J	D,L,C,15	M,P,9	F,B,13	20,2	18,N,7	11,K,14	4,G,19	Total	Avg
G	Seattle Swift	11	11	23	15	24	16	-	-	-	-	100	16.7
1	Zhills PreciZion	10	11	20	14	20	15	-	-	-	-	90	15.0
2	SDC Rhemix XP	9	9	15	9	18	11	-	-	-	-	71	11.8
G	Napoleon Dynamite	8	7	13	10	18	12	-	-	-	-	68	11.3
3	Suffolk Sabotage	7	6	16	7	16	12	-	-	-	-	64	10.7
3	Bangarang	9	7	14	8	15	11	-	-	-	-	64	10.7
3	4GetAboutIt!	8	8	15	11	14	8	-	-	-	-	64	10.7

The AA/Intermediate Class leaderboard has the tightest situation for the USPA medals after Round 6. The top teams are well known to the Sun Path Products NSL News, as they have attended several meets this year to get ready for competition. The results of the meet practice are on hand.

Seattle Swift is not eligible for USPA medals, and Napoleon Dynamite is in the same situation. This leaves Zhills PreciZion, with player coach Sally Hathaway and three original Florida Tunnel Kickers, in the top spot for USPA gold medals.

Well meet practiced SDC Rhemix XP of the Midwest Skydiving League has the USPA silver medals in the bag, and the real battle takes place for the USPA bronze medals, where three teams are tied after Round 6. Suffolk Sabotage (Virginia Parachute Council) and Gang Bangarang (Southern California Skydiving League) will fight it out with 4GetAboutIt! for the 3rd place.