posted Nov 3rd, 2016 - The performance of the new Advanced Class champion at the USPA Nationals 2016, Skydive Midwest NEXT, was even more dominating than Seattle Swift's in the Intermediate Class, even though the field in this category was the biggest one since 2000/2001. The number of Advanced Class teams almost doubled between 2015 and 2016 (13 - 25).

The performance is even more impressive considering the fact that 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.

In fact, there is only one team that accomplished the same before. Carolina Turbo XP won 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.

USPA Nationals 2016		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	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	SDMW NEXT	16	21	12	13	26	16	31	11	14	9	169	16.9
2	2nd Generation	13	17	13	15	20	14	24	11	13	10	150	15.0
3	AF Bachelor Party	13	19	13	15	18	14	20	11	12	12	147	14.7
4	CSC Survival Instinct	12	20	11	14	23	13	23	11	7	12	146	14.6
5	AZ Defiance	13	18	12	14	18	13	22	9	12	11	142	14.2
6	AF Obsidian	13	18	11	12	18	14	21	9	10	10	136	13.6
7	Four Horseman	11	15	13	15	19	11	19	7	13	11	134	13.4

The NEXT meet average of 16.9 is also the highest one in the history of USPA Advanced Class competition. Only SDC Rhythm XP's 2008 lineup (JaNette and Steve Lefkowitz, Brian Ball, Laurent Beaudouin, with Kevin Nafzger on camera) won the gold medals with exactly the same average after ten rounds. SDC Rhythm XP moved up into the Open Class competition in 2009 and is now one of the best teams in the world.

There is more that connects SDMW NEXT and SDC Rhythm XP. Both teams competed regularly at the Midwest Skydiving League meets. Rhythm attended two MWSL meets in 2007 and four in 2008 before winning the USPA Advanced Class gold medals.

NEXT competed at three MWSL meets before winning the USPA Intermediate Class gold medals last year. Then they attended two regional MWSL meets this year before winning the Advanced Class gold medals.

USPA Nationals 2016		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way AAA	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	37	21	24	39	21	47	16	18	20	265	26.5
2	SDC Rhythm XP	23	35	19	19	28	19	45	14	17	19	238	23.8
3	Golden Knights	20	24	18	24	33	19	38	14	15	18	223	22.3
4	AARsPeed	19	28	17	13	28	17	33	15	15	17	202	20.2
5	Mass Defiance	17	23	17	16	28	17	33	12	14	15	192	19.2
6	Arizona Alpha	18	27	15	19	26	16	29	12	14	14	190	19.0
7	SDMW NEXT	16	21	12	13	26	16	31	11	14	9	169	16.9
8	Perris Kiss	15	19	13	15	22	15	30	11	13	13	166	16.6
9	Alliance	14	21	13	11	21	15	25	12	12	13	157	15.7
10	Spaceland Lite	13	19	10	11	22	14	28	11	10	12	150	15.0
10	2nd Generation	13	17	13	15	20	14	24	11	13	10	150	15.0

The extended AAA Class leaderboard with all teams competing in the Open and Advanced Class competition at the USPA Nationals provides even more evidence for the very strong performance of SDMW NEXT. The Midwest team finishes right behind the most experienced teams and competitors in the country.

Advanced Class silver medalist Ranch 2nd Generation made the AAA Class Top 10, as well, tied with Spaceland Lite in 10th place. The young team from the Ranch was still competing in the AA/Intermediate Class at the Paraclete XP Indoor Championship in March this year.

Both teams have something in common that could become a challenge for the established U.S. top teams and competitors. Both team names indicate that they have their own ideas how to deal with the older generations of 4-way teams and competitors in the country...