posted Oct 13th, 2018 - Friday at the FAI World Meet 2018 was simply dedicated to completing the missing competition rounds as quickly as possible, and this purpose included the last-round showdown between NMP PCH HayaBusa and Arizona Airspeed. The final day also featured the tied 8-way world record in Round 10 by the Golden Knights.

It was only one competition round that had to be performed by several teams, with the top contenders in action for the last time, unless a jump-off round would be required. It was still a very challenging and exhausting day for HayaBusa and Airspeed who had to approach Round 10 like a jump-off round.

However, three Airspeed members still had enough energy to meet with the NSL News and discuss the 4-way thriller after a longer break.

Niklas Hemlin, Mikhail Markine and team videographer David French came back to the sports center to share their feelings and thoughts with the NSL News and the online audience before the last competition day was really over. Awards ceremony and closing banquet were scheduled for Saturday afternoon and evening at the Intercontinental hotel where teams and competitors are accommodated.

FAI World Meet 2018			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open		21,L,B,G	22,18,17	19,7,O	J,16,12	10,A,D,15	Q,M,F,C,N	H,20,P,13	6,14,11	E,2,5	4,1,3	Total	Avg
1	NMP-PCH Hayabusa	BE	32	21	27	24	22	62	22	20	27	22	279	27.9
Roster: Andy Grauwels (Outside Center), David Grauwels (Inside Center), Jeroen Nollet (Tail), Dennis Praet (Point), Luc Van Britsom (Video)
2	Arizona Airspeed	US	26	21	27	24	24	60	26	22	27	20	277	27.7
Roster: Niklas Hemlin (Outside Center), Thiago Gomes (Inside Center), Mikhail Markine (Tail), Ari Perelman (Point), David French (Video)
FAI World Meet 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
Roster: Andy Grauwels (Outside Center), David Grauwels (Inside Center), Jeroen Nollet (Tail), Dennis Praet (Point), Danny Jacobs (Video)
2	Arizona Airspeed	US	21	23	31	26	18	22	27	40	23	23	254	25.4
Roster: Thomas Hughes (Outside Center), Niklas Hemlin (Inside Center), Thiago Gomes (Tail), Mikhail Markine (Point), Justin Price (Video)
FAI World Meet 2014			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open		E,3,C,5	F,6,D,21	19,H,2	M,4,1	O,14,A,P	8,J,16	7,11,12	22,20,15	17,G,18	13,B,9	Total	Avg
1	NMP-PCH Hayabusa	BE	32	29	25	25	33	25	22	18	26	29	264	26.4
Roster: Andy Grauwels (Outside Center), David Grauwels (Inside Center), Roy Janssen (Tail), Dennis Praet (Point), Danny Jacobs (Video)
2	Arizona Airspeed	US	31	27	25	24	31	23	22	17	24	29	253	25.3
Roster: Thomas Hughes (Outside Center), Chris Farina (Inside Center), Mark Kirkby (Tail), Thiago Gomes (Point), Justin Price (Video)
FAI World Meet 2012			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open		5,12,E	6,D,B,K	O,8,7	N,13,18	10,21,M	19,H,11	C,G,1,A	20,9,15	16,F,P,Q	2,J,4	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	US	27	34	27	22	23	23	32	25	40	26	279	27.9
Roster: Thomas Hughes (Outside Center), Niklas Hemlin (Inside Center), Mark Kirkby (Tail), Josh Hall (Point), Bill Schmitz (Video)
2	NMP-PCH Hayabusa	BE	25	34	27	21	23	24	32	27	40	25	278	27.8
Roster: Andy Grauwels (Outside Center), David Grauwels (Inside Center), Roy Janssen (Tail), Dennis Praet (Point), Danny Jacobs (Video)

Niklas Hemlin is the longest standing Airspeed member and competed for the first time at a world meet with the Swedish 4-way team in 1997. He was the Inside Center for the Airspeed lineup at the FAI World Meet 2012 and won the gold medals by one single point with the 27.9 average that is still the highest scoring number in 4-way history, even though NMP PCH HayaBusa has now tied the 27.9 average and won by two points this week.

Niklas Hemlin took a 2-year break after winning the gold medals in 2012 and came back for the 2017/2018 lineup. HayaBusa took the gold medals to Belgium in 2014 and defended them twice ever since, while Niklas Hemlin is on the mission to bring them back to Arizona.

Niklas Hemlin switched to the Outside Center position when Thomas Hughes left at the end of the 2016 season, and the current lineup has three members who attended their first World Championship of Formation Skydiving: David French, Mikhail Markine and Ari Perelman. David French and Mikhail Markine were available for the conversation on Friday afternoon.

The situation in the coming two years will be different compared to the history between HayaBusa and Airspeed, where both teams went through personnel changes. They continue with the same lineups for the next two years and start on eye level. The audience has good reasons to look forward to watching more very exciting 4-way showdowns...