posted Nov 14th, 2018 - SDC Rhythm XP's bad luck began before the best U.S. 4-way team behind Arizona Airspeed competed at the USPA Nationals 2018, while ISR FireFlash still had the complete lineup at the national championships before Glenn Straeluyc's work accident.

Former Rhythm member Rob Radez came back and filled Doug Barron's tail slot at Chicagoland Skydiving, where he helped to defend the team's USPA silver medals successfully. However, Rhythm ended up far behind Airspeed, even though the 22.3 average was a new record number for Rob Radez. He had finished his time as Inside Center for Rhythm with a 21.5 average at the USPA Nationals 2011.

The current Rhythm lineup knew that it would take a little while until Doug Barron would be ready for a full comeback, and it seemed like there might be additional time available until 4-way indoor and outdoor training and competition with the complete lineup would resume.

The new Paraclete XP8 project was obviously a tempting opportunity that the NSL News had mentioned a few times in earlier 8-way updates. John D'Annunzio and Kirk Verner were ready for a new challenge of the Golden Knights, who have to re-build the complete lineup, as the NSL News reported on 7 November. The story on 10 November followed up with the first closer look at the new Paraclete XP8 lineup, which includes three members of the SDC Rhythm XP lineup (Andrew Happick, JaNette and Steve Lefkowitz).

USPA Nationals 2018		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open	J,19,K,22	P,13,A,E	H,G,Q,B,21	9,2,L	C,14,4	O,16,3	1,15,10	M,20,11	F,D,18,6	5,12,17	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	23	29	34	28	23	24	19	24	26	25	255	25.5
2	SDC Rhythm XP	20	25	33	26	20	18	17	21	23	20	223	22.3
3	Airspeed Odyssey	20	25	28	22	18	20	17	19	20	17	206	20.6

USPA Nationals 2018			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open		8,B,6	P,3,C,M	1,18,Q	22,E,16	11,17,H	L,12,13	7,A,20	19,14,9	J,5,4	G,15,10	Total	Avg
1	XP8	US	17	20	19	17	14	13	17	14	21	17	169	16.9
2	Arizona Airspeedish	US	13	22	19	18	15	15	15	13	16	19	165	16.5
3	Qatar Falcons	QA	16	21	18	14	15	15	16	13	17	16	161	16.1

The new Paraclete 8-way team had scheduled the first training week beginning this Monday, and the NSL News used the opportunity for a quick visit in Raeford, North Carolina. The 8-way exits were part of the training plan for the week, but cold and rainy weather did not allow any outdoor training on Monday.

However, Paraclete XP's wind tunnel offers the 16-foot chamber as a convenient alternative for such a situation, and XP8 used the day for indoor training.

Seven of the team members were available for the training day on Monday, and Golden Knights 8-way world champion Matt Davidson filled the slot for the third SDC Rhythm member, Andrew Happick.

He shared the indoor training day with his former Golden Knights 8-way team mate Brian Krause, who has joined the XP8 lineup to challenge the U.S. Army team this year. They could be opponents if Matt Davidson's request for an extension with the U.S. Army team will be granted.

Brian Krause and Matt Davidson were team mates when another very strong Paraclete XP8 lineup had challenged the Golden Knights in 2009.

USPA Nationals 2009		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open	12,5,Q	22,K,9	F,19,D,20	H,15,4	11,N,3	G,C,14,B	17,13,18	L,M,P,2	16,O,1	E,10,A,6	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	15	19	18	27	21	19	15	19	24	19	196	19.6
2	Golden Knights	15	18	17	23	23	19	15	19	23	17	189	18.9
3	Paraclete XP8	14	19	17	23	22	18	11	19	24	20	187	18.7

John D'Annunzio and Kirk Verner had put together the 2009 lineup that completed over 250 training jumps. They had a serious 8-way plan that included the 1st place at the USPA Nationals 2009 and the 8-way qualification for the FAI World Meet 2010.

It was bad luck for John D'Annunzio and Kirk Verner when trained team member Gary Beyer injured his shoulder shortly before the competition. Kirk Verner had to step back even earlier for a shoulder surgery. They found world class substitutes with Shannon Pilcher and Brian Johnson, however, it was not the trained lineup that competed with Arizona Airspeed and Golden Knights in 2009.

Brian Krause and Matt Davidson did not win either, as Arizona Airspeed took the top spot on the 8-way leaderboard. The Golden Knights still competed for the U.S. delegation at the FAI World Meet 2010 after Airspeed announced that they would take only the 4-way slot for the world meet in Menzelinsk.

John D'Annunzio and Kirk Verner are back now with a new lineup that includes the three Rhythm members, Michelle Karamon, Jeana Billings and Brian Krause. Paraclete XP8 has dedicated 40 to 50 training days to 8-way training in Raeford. It will be a very busy year for the Rhythm members who still give their 4-way team highest priority. They have even recently resumed 4-way indoor training with Doug Barron...