posted Jan 23rd, 2017 - The Sun Path Products NSL News reported on 28 December 2016 that Jennifer Davidson, reigning world champion in 4-way Women, has joined the Golden Knights 8-way team.

The same story explained briefly that she will also continue to train and compete in 4-way on a significantly smaller scale with the same lineup that won the USPA bronze medals at last year's national championships in Eloy (Matt Davidson, Kurt Isenbarger, Sean Sweeney).

The female 4-way lineup of the Golden Knights has disbanded. JaNette Lefkowitz, who filled in for Angela Nichols last year, is back with her own team, SDC Rhythm XP, and Dannielle Albright-Woosley has no team plans. Laura Davis, however, continues with an active role in 4-way competition. She is preparing a new Golden Knights 4-way Open Class team for their first competitions.

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	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

The addition of a new 4-way Open Class lineup to the Golden Knights competition team increases the engagement of the U.S. Army in Formation Skydiving competition to a new record high. This year, the Golden Knights will have four different teams in three different events, disregarding the second half of the 8-way team.

The 8-way lineup continues as the signature team of the Golden Knights after winning three consecutive FAI World Championships of Formation Skydiving. 8-way world champion Jesse Stahler has switched to the 4-way VFS team, who placed 4th at last year's USPA Nationals and are aiming at USPA medals this year.

The Golden Knights Gold lineup is almost one half of the 8-way team, as Kurt Isenbarger has retired from active 8-way training and competition while he continues as the 8-way alternate. The new 4-way Open Class lineup consists of new 4-way competitors who are in no other Golden Knights teams at the same time.

USPA Nationals 2016		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way VFS Open	H,14,4	16,G,6	B,L,A,E,15	12,13,J	9,D,2	11,F,5	I,7,M,K	3,1,10	Total	Avg
1	SDC Core	19	20	24	29	19	18	17	22	168	21.0
2	Arizona Arsenal	15	14	21	26	12	12	11	17	128	16.0
3	Arizona X Force	13	12	17	14	12	12	13	18	111	13.9
4	Golden Knights	10	13	6	28	10	13	14	15	109	13.6
5	Skydive California Super Serious	11	10	16	21	12	12	11	15	108	13.5
6	Drive Dysnutz	8	6	5	13	8	8	5	13	66	8.3

Coach Laura Davis told the Sun Path Products NSL News that the new GK4 team was created in the wake of the 4-way Women team's gold medal success: "They are a group of brand new 4-way competitors. We are starting from the ground up, but they have got some talent."

Laura Davis will stay with the team as the coach for the first year at least. Ryan Ray, former member of the 8-way lineup, is captaining the new team in the tail slot. Jon Clevenger (Outside Center), Ethan Tamez (Inside Center) and Nick Birkner (Point) complete the lineup; Justin Little is filming the team.

GK4 are in full training swing by now, as Laura Davis said: "We have been burning up the tunnel at Paraclete XP with 4-way immersion training." The new 4-way Open Class team will begin with outdoor training in the middle of February in Eloy.