posted Jan 20th, 2017 - Yesterday's Weembi update came just a few weeks before the first showdown between Weembi's signature lineup and NMP PCH HayaBusa at the Wind Games 2017 in Empuriabrava. The competition for the world's indoor top spot in 4-way will once again take place without Arizona Airspeed who traveled to Spain twice in 2014 and 2015.

It's a good point in time to look at the situation from the perspective of the reigning indoor and outdoor world champions, who had announced their new Belgian 8-way project with Fly-In Machine 44 not too long ago.

HayaBusa's orginial member Andy Grauwels, the team's outside center since 2010, told the Sun Path Products NSL News that his team had a well-deserved quiet time after winning at the FAI Mondial 2016 and then at the FAI Indoor World Cup: "We had the chance to take a break during the holidays, which was a great opportunity for us to regain our strength and energy after an intense season."

Wind Games 2015			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class		C,17,6	3,4,M	F,11,15	D,2,5	J,13,N,K	Q,1,O,P	19,22,B	10,7,9	14,G,H,16	L,E,8,12	Total	Avg
1	NMP-PCH Hayabusa	BE	33	28	31	32	32	36	28	29	29	26	304	30.4
2	Arizona Airspeed	US	32	30	30	29	34	32	24	30	29	24	294	29.4

HayaBusa knows that Arizona Airspeed and Weembi are both training hard and that they are hungry. Andy Grauwels said that the new Airspeed lineup with new slots looks well balanced: "We are eager to see them perform."

Airspeed will post the first scores with the new lineup at the Shamrock Showdown 2017, where SDC Rhythm XP will challenge the reigning U.S. champion with the same lineup as in 2016. Andy Grauwels is expecting Rhythm to train hard this year and climb up the U.S. ladder: "This gives us a motivational boost as we will compete with both teams at the USPA Nationals."

He is also expecting tough additional international competition: "The French national team and Qatar Tigers are getting stronger, and we will probably see them at the Wind Games, in Bedford or at the FAI World Cup."

FAI Indoor World Cup 2016			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open		12,A,16	18,15,O	1,F,E,C	17,B,14	10,2,20	21,11,G	J,5,19	L,M,K,7	D,8,4	3,13,Q	Total	Avg
1	NMP PCH HayaBusa	BE	24	25	35	26	19	22	27	39	23	22	262	26.2
2	Arizona Airspeed	US	21	23	31	26	18	22	27	40	23	23	254	25.4
3	France	FR	21	20	30	21	18	21	27	39	21	20	238	23.8
4	Black Cat	RU	22	20	30	24	17	21	24	33	21	19	231	23.1
5	Qatar Tigers	QA	21	20	30	24	17	20	23	36	17	18	226	22.6

NMP PCH HayaBusa's new competition season begins with the Wind Games, and the Belgians will be well prepared for the upcoming Weembi challenge: "We will have training days in Belgium and Windoor prior to the meet to get back being synched up before meeting Weembi. They were our biggest opponent at the Indoor World Cup last year and will without a doubt challenge us in Empuriabrava."

One of the team members will not be in Spain, and he will also not come back with HayaBusa later in the year. HayaBusa does not need videographer Danny Jacobs at the indoor meets; however, he will also not be available any longer in the outdoor future.

HayaBusa knew last year that Danny Jacobs would retire from the army early in 2018. They took action early and asked HayaBusa's alternate videographer Luc Van Britsom to step in. Andy Grauwels said this gives him an extra season to train with the team before the next world meet.

Danny Jacobs has won two 4-way gold medals with HayaBusa, and he is one of the most experienced videographers in the world: "We have been fortunate to have him on board for so many years. He has been on the army's skydiving team for more than 20 years."

Andy Grauwels said that HayaBusa's Fly-In Machine 44 project begins with FireFlash 4-way training at the end of the month, the other half of the 8-way lineup: "We are extremely excited to start this project. Together with Sven and Wesley we picked up two Belgian talents, Maya and Glen. Our wind tunnel training we do at Fly-In in Liege, Belgium, and we will compete at the French Indoor Nationals at Weembi."

Fly-In Machine 44 also plans to complete 150 training jumps in preparation for the FAI World Cup and the European Championships. There's a very busy year coming for NMP-PCH HayaBusa...