posted Jul 17th, 2018 - Last weekend's Spaceland-Houston Pre-Nationals 2018 brought a total of eight 4-way teams and three 8-way teams together in Texas for this year's test before the USPA Nationals.

The same event was held with the same purpose in August 2017 when five 4-way and two 8-way teams launched the new event.

Dallas 350ish won the AAA Class competition with three members of the Dallas 350 lineup who will compete at the national championships in September. Scott Levy and Lucas King, original team members of the 2013 lineup, competed with Scott Latinis who was also in the original lineup of 2013.

Scott Latinis left the team at the end of the 2016 season and came back this year when current member Tim King had to step back due to an injury. Former Perris Fury member Chris Farina is the 4th Dallas 350 member and player-coach this year, who was not available for the competition last weekend. Chris Halsan, USPA 2015 Intermediate Class silver medalist with Ragnarok and regular at the Indoor Cloud League events at Paraclete XP, filled the open 350ish slot last weekend.

Spaceland-Houston Pre-Nationals 2018		1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way AAA/Open Class	A,14,M,11		16,N,D,7		5,F,J,6		K,L,17,Q		15,20,8		12,21,13		H,3,P,9		19,O,G,10		Total	Avg
1	Dallas 350ish	12	-2	14		16		15		10		10		13	-1	13		103	12.9
2	Get Schwifty!	8		10		10		11		7		6	-1	10		10		72	9.0
3	4 the Love of Dogs	7	-1	12		7	-3	10		6	-1	7		7		6	-1	62	7.8

Dallas 350ish won the AAA Class competition easily at Skydive Spaceland-Houston, and AA Class winner Spaceland Toxic did not have much more work than 350ish to secure the 1st place and prize money in the second 4-way category.

The Spaceland Toxic project was launched in the Rookie and A Class of 2012. Demo McDonnell's team moved up into the AA Class in 2013 and placed 15th with an 8.7 average at the team's first USPA Nationals.

The same lineup (Kirsten Johnston, Rick Croasdale, David Lozano, Demo McDonnell, Tim Kephart on camera) finished 12th with 9.1 a year later.

A new Toxic lineup started with a 7.6 average at the USPA Nationals 2015 and did not travel to Arizona in 2016 after attending two meets in Texas.

The current lineup came together for the 2017 season, and only project organizer Demo McDonnell was back for Spaceland Toxic, together with David Lozano, Randy Morgan, Billy Whitaker and Chad Hall on camera.

Spaceland-Houston Pre-Nationals 2018		1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way AA/Intermediate Class	15,E,G		C,B,8		9,H,M		1,N,19		J,7,4		O,L,11		A,D,Q,6		P,K,14		Total	Avg
1	Spaceland Toxic	10		13		20		9		10		9		10		11		92	11.5
2	Toxic Heveh	5	-1	12		16		9		10		10		10		7		79	9.9
3	Kinetic	7		7	-2	7		7		7		8		9		8		60	7.5
4	Toxic Envy	3	-2	6	-1	7	-2	4		5	-2	4		6		6		41	5.1
5	Highly Toxic	1		3		4	-1	0	-2	6	-1	3	-1	3	-2	1	-1	21	2.6

The new Spaceland Toxic lineup became an underdog for medal contention at the USPA Nationals 2017, together with two other teams from Texas, after posting a 9.7 average a few months earlier.

Dallas Interspeediate (5th - 11.5) and Spaceland Toxic (6th - 11.2) eventually placed within striking distance for USPA medal positions in the AA/Intermediate Class a year ago in Perris, and Toxic made new plans for the 2018 season.

Last weekend's 11.5 after eight rounds at the Pre-Nationals is a new team record average and a clear statement. Spaceland Toxic want to win a set of USPA medals at this year's national championships.

There is only one U.S. team with a higher meet average this year so far. TSC Cadence posted a 13.6 average at the Paraclete XP Summer Classic 2018 and is far ahead of all other AA Class teams in the United States. TSC Cadence was the team right ahead of Dallas Interspeediate and Spaceland Toxic with an 11.9 average last year and ended up without medals, as well. At least Cadence and Toxic will be back for more this September...