posted Sep 30th, 2017 - Two more Formation Skydiving events traditionally follow the 4-way and 8-way competition at the USPA Nationals. The six rounds of 16-way are the first one, this year on Friday, followed by six rounds in 10-way on Saturday.

Golden Knights and Arizona Airspeed are inviting their friends to join them for the two lineups who usually dominate these 1-day events and the more casual part of the national championships. The lineups are colorful combinations of different 4-way and 8-way teams and competitors, and the Golden Knights once again won the USPA gold medals with their 2017 lineup.

Seven members of the current 8-way lineup (Justin Blewitt, Larry Miller, Sean Sweeney, David Flynn, Drew Starr, Jen Davidson, Matt Davidson) and coach Kurt Isenbarger competed in 16-way, as well. Josh Coleman had to step back with sinus troubles, and Reese Pendleton filled the open slot.

He is a member of the U.S. Army's VFS team who placed 2nd in their event. Jessie Stahler, 8-way world champion of 2014 and 2016 with the Golden Knights, was also in the 16-way lineup after winning the VFS silver medals for the U.S. Army delegation. He explained his own transition from 8-way to VFS for the NSL News after the preparations of the 16-way team for Round 6.

USPA Nationals 2017		1	2	3	4	5	6	Total	Avg
Rank	16-way	5,7	12,C	H,10	8,F	11,E	2,G	Total	Avg
1	GKXP	9	10	11	7	13	6	56	9.3
2	Arizona Airspeed	6	6	9	6	11	6	44	7.3
3	Lite 350 Monster Mash	5	5	4	5	7	4	30	5.0
4	Deguello 17	4	3	6	4	7	5	29	4.8
5	Dallas Disturbance	5	3	5	2	9	3	27	4.5
6	Perris Teamsters Union	3	3	4	4	4	3	21	3.5
7	Blocksmixteen	3	1	3	2	1	2	12	2.0

Three SDC Rhythm XP members (Steve Lefkowitz, Doug Barron, Andrew Happick) joined the Golden Knights for the GKXP lineup, as they did last year.

JaNette Lefkowitz volunteered her slot for other eager 16-way participants and shared her Rhythm experiences with the NSL News while the 16-way team was getting ready.

She had great news for the Rhythm fans, as her team will soon go back to 4-way training with the same lineup.

She also explained how all Rhythm members have not only been on the podium at the awards ceremonies of the past years. She and her team mates have coached several other teams to USPA medals, as well.

Kirk Verner and John D'Annunzio represent the XP part of the team name. Kirk Verner is one of the original Airspeed members; however, he has been joining the Golden Knights and other XP members for the 16-way competition at the USPA Nationals in the past years.

Brian Krause is the former team captain of the Golden Knights who brought the U.S. Army's 8-way team back to the top spot in the world and then handed over the reigns to Sean Sweeney, the current team captain. Kurt Isenbarger is the Golden Knights coach.

Arizona Airspeed had the complete 4-way lineup (Ari Perelman, Mikhail Markine, Niklas Hemlin, Thiago Gomes) in the 16-way team, and new videographer David French was also filming the six 16-way rounds.

He said that he could feel the high pressure in the 4-way competition, especially in Round 1. He and Ari Perelman had joined Airspeed only this year and won their first USPA gold medals.

The largest Airspeed 16-way contingent was actually provided by the Amphibious Attack Tigers. Six AAT members were in the Airspeed lineup (Rodney Cruce, James Klinge, Brian Stephens, Nick Grillet, Scott Latinis, Ben Liston, including the complete Mass Defiance lineup at this year's national championships. Nick Grillet competed with James Klinge, Brian Stephens and Ben Liston in Perris, as Jim Rees had other duties as the Chief Judge. He was with bUSA Defiance at the FAI World Cup 2017 last month.

Josh Hall, 4-way world champion of 2012, was back in the 16-way lineup and joined his 2012 team mate Niklas Hemlin. Former Rhythm member Rob Radez competed against his 2010 - 2011 team mate Steve Lefkowitz and together with Thiago Gomes, who was a Rhythm member in the same two years.

Airspeed's lineup also included a generation that has not been with Airspeed yet. R2G members Michelle Karamon and Christopher Kuhlmann won USPA's Advanced Class gold medals this week and then joined Airspeed's 16-way lineup yesterday. Airspeed's 10-way lineup seems to grab the gold medals in the last event of the USPA Nationals 2017...