posted Jan 29th, 2019 - The NSL News mentioned earlier that Ben Liston, organizer of the SkyVenture New Hampshire Indoor Championship, had invited Eliana Rodriguez to this year's event. She provided free coaching and advice for all teams last Saturday.

She met Michelle Karamon at SkyVenture New Hampshire who competed there with AAA Class winner Ranch 2nd Generation and also player-coached Squid Squad 2nd Generation in the AA Class. Together, Eliana Rodriguez and Michelle Karamon have resumed the 4-way activities of the Arizona Skydiving League (ASL), as the NSL News reported on 20 December 2018. The first ASL meet was already completed earlier this month, and the February meet is coming up this weekend.

Some ASL competitors even followed Eliana Rodriguez and Michelle Karamon from Arizona to New Hampshire. Veronica and Julius Hayden were in Michelle Karamon's second team, and Jennifer Piece competed with Cool Name Pending in the same category. They switched from outdoor competition at the beginning of the month to indoor competition at SkyVenture New Hampshire and will jump again from a Twin Otter this weekend in Eloy.

Eliana Rodriguez and Michelle Karamon both enjoyed their visit in New Hampshire, as Eliana Rodriguez summed it up: "We just got back from the New Hampshire indoor meet, and it was fantastic. I was really impressed by how many teams were there and how well organized this event was. Organizer and meet director Ben Liston did not only do a great job running the event, keeping the meet on track and making us laugh with his jokes and keeping it fun. He was also competing with two teams..."

SkyVenture New Hampshire 2019		1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	15,H,M,C		9,14,16		G,Q,22,J		L,18,5		6,14,20		17,D,F,A		10,1,C		K,11,7		E,3,21		B,13,N,P		Total	Avg
1	Ranch 2nd Generation	34		25		24	-1	23		21		36		20	-1	23	-3	21	-3	31	-1	258	25.8
2	SaLiteO	27	-3	17	-4	18	-1	16	-2	17	-1	28	-5	17		19		20		25		204	20.4
3	Defiance	27	-1	18	-1	20	-1	16	-1	17		27		13	-1	19	-2	19		21	-1	197	19.7
4	LMNOP	21	-3	18	-2	16	-1	16	-1	14	-1	24	-2	12	-1	17	-1	18		19	-2	175	17.5
5	SNE Fly Girls	19	-2	16		14		10	-1	12	-1	18	-3	12	-1	15		14		18		148	14.8
6	Fast Pick Up	13		11	-1	9	-1	8		10		15		8		10		11	-1	11	-2	106	10.6

Eliana Rodriguez is organizing her own events, which gives the credit for Ben Liston and the SkyVenture New Hampshire staff even more value:

"They had 41 teams all doing ten rounds, and they were able to get all those rounds flown and judged by around 7-8pm. That blew my mind, they were so efficient, and it ran like a well oiled machine. The judges did a great job getting the scores out very quickly after the competitors came out the tunnel. They were able to finish the day that early, even with two warmup sessions at the beginning of the day to check out the air speed. By the end of the day, all 41 teams had flown 12 sessions, and they still managed to get it done in good time."

Michelle Karamon agreed with her ASL partner:

"I absolutely love this event and feel very sentimental about participating in it for the 8th year in a row. In fact, I can thank my entire 4-way career to starting out at this event!" She competed in the Rookie Class at her first meet at SkyVenture New Hampshire, with player coaches Bob and Kim Schuyler, who are original members of Fall Out. Spaceland Lite members Kim Hollander and Dave Grabowski were in the original Fall Out lineup, as well.

Michelle Karamon had about 60 jumps by then: "I had no clue what I was doing, but it was incredible." She moved up the categories year by year from there and has now won the AAA Class competition three consecutive times with Ranch 2nd Generation.

SkyVenture New Hampshire 2019		1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	AA Class	D,J,G,6		15,B,21		E,K,F,A		C,9,14		7,P,Q		9,15		K,O,F,14		21,N,M		H,1,E		6,P,L		Total	Avg
1	Snatch Force	16	-2	14		25		17		19	-1	15	-1	18		16	-1	16	-1	17		173	17.3
2	3 Men and a Midget	19		12	-2	22	-2	14	-3	20	-1	18		19		14		15	-2	17		170	17.0
3	Team Stuffed Crust	14	-1	12		24	-1	15	-1	18	-3	13	-2	17		16	-1	17		17	-1	163	16.3
4	To Yinfinity and Beyond	15	-1	10	-3	22		14	-3	22		12	-1	17		17		13	-1	17		159	15.9
5	Serenity Now	14		11		24	-1	18	-1	19		13	-1	15	-3	11	-1	14		14	-2	153	15.3
6	Ride it Like It’s Stolen	16		12	-1	19	-2	14	-1	18		13	-1	17	-1	13		13	-2	14	-2	149	14.9
7	Squid Squad 2nd Generation	15		11		20	-2	15		17	-1	9	-2	15	-1	14		14		15	-1	145	14.5
8	Cool Name Pending	12	-1	9	-1	17	-2	9		18		11		15		12		14		13	-1	130	13.0
9	Burble’s Edge	13	-1	10		16	-2	12	-2	12		11		13		13	-1	12		13		125	12.5

Michelle Karamon said that the competition focuses on encouraging new fliers: "Almost everyone in the Open Class participated with a second or even third team in rookie, intermediate, or advanced. Ben Liston does a really great job of organizing the event. The community vibe at the competition is unlike any other tunnel meet we have been to. It is really awesome to now be able to encourage newer jumpers and fly with them during the meet, the same way I started out with open class fliers competing with me in the rookie class."

The majority of the participants are from the northeast of the United States. However, there are also several competitors who visit from from all over the country to attend the SkyVenture New Hampshire Indoor Championship.

Eliana Rodriguez was invited to work with all the teams: "I was there for anyone who wanted some support around engineering, block techniques, or had any questions about performing in competition. I had a great time meeting so many new faces and connecting with some old friends, as well. I was busy, but many teams also had player coaches in their lineups, which is such a great opportunity for the more junior competitors to learn and experience this meet with a top level competitor mentoring them and guiding them throughout the competition."

She said that organizer Ben Liston is also well supported by the owners of SkyVenture New Hampshire: "Laurie and Rob were super hosts. You can feel and see how much love and care they put into this event. The staff is very friendly and professional. Other competitors say that each year they add something to make it better and better."

SkyVenture New Hampshire 2019		1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	A Class	G,J,F		P,N,9		14,L		D,A,7		Q,C,O		H,M,14		9,E		B,O,J		C,F,D		7,K		Total	Avg
1	CT True Blue	27		21		14	-1	19		24	-1	18	-1	23		33		29		19		227	22.7
2	Resting Outface	28		23	-1	12	-1	16	-3	19	-1	16		20		31	-1	19	-1	18	-2	202	20.2
3	Broken Glass	25		20		12		17		17		14	-1	19		24		22	-1	16		186	18.6
4	Grip Tease	21	-1	18	-1	13		17		17	-1	15		19		23	-1	21		18		182	18.2
5	Schweddy Balls	13	-3	19		11		17	-1	14	-2	14		20		22	-1	21	-1	15	-2	166	16.6
5	Aerogance	20	-1	15	-1	13		15		18		16		15	-1	23		17	-3	14		166	16.6
7	Chute First	20		19		10	-1	13	-1	14	-3	15		15	-5	22	-4	13	-6	16		157	15.7
8	BDFR	16	-2	16		10		12	-2	19		12		11	-3	18	-3	21	-1	13	-1	148	14.8
9	Gripper Rippers	19	-1	17	-1	7	-2	13	-1	16		9	-2	11	-4	21	-2	18	-1	14		145	14.5
10	Rock'em Sock'em Robots	19	-1	10	-2	10		12	-2	14	-2	16		12		21		14	-1	14	-1	142	14.2
10	Expedition 2001	15	-1	11	-3	9	-1	11	-1	13		13		15		23		19		13		142	14.2
12	Three Chicks with Dick	16		16		8	-1	14		14		10	-1	14	-1	16		20		13		141	14.1
13	Off the Net	15	-2	10		8		11		9	-5	11		10	-4	20		17	-1	11		122	12.2
14	Trouble Makers In Action	14	-1	12		9	-1	11		15		12		12	-1	14		10	-3	8		117	11.7
15	4 Score & 7 Points Ago	12	-1	8		6	-1	11		11		11		8	-1	20		17		11		115	11.5
16	Mark’s Easy	13	-2	9	-2	7	-1	11	-1	9	-1	9	-1	14	-1	15	-3	13	-2	12	-1	112	11.2
17	Razzmatazz	10		10		8		11		9	-1	10	-1	13		13		11		8	-1	103	10.3
18	4 Ladies Only	11	-2	11		4	-2	11		9		7	-1	13	-1	15	-1	10		8		99	9.9
19	Fluffy Bunny Slippers	11		6	-4	6		8		5	-1	11	-1	6	-1	12		10		6		81	8.1
20	Sideboobies	8		6	-1	3		6	-1	6	-1	6		4		14	-1	7		7		67	6.7

This year there was music and great performance outside of the flying chamber, as Eliana Rodrigues explained:

"Before the competition started they had a singer, Rebecca, perform the national anthem, which left many of us with chills and goosebumps from how beautiful she sang it. At the end of the evening, after the awards, Rebecca pulled out her guitar and gave another amazing performance for the competitors.

The hosts also provided freshly made hot pizza for lunch from their cafe and offered snacks and appetizers to go along with their drinks at the end of the day, while the competitors awaited the awards.

Laurie and Rob were around all day making sure everyone had what they needed and helping the meet run smoothly."

The award ceremony at the meet is special too, as Eliana Rodriguez explained:

"The teams got to benefit from the awards. They had many prizes, from jumps tickets to tunnel time, T-shirts and gift certificates. All the top three places in the four categories got a prize, but they also had gifts for many of the young teams just for participating."

SkyVenture New Hampshire 2019		1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	Rookie	C,J,L		H,F,N		B,D,K		P,Q,M		E,F,A		O,B,A		J,D,H		Q,C,M		L,K,N		F,E,P		Total	Avg
1	7’4”	13	-1	17	-2	17		17	-2	17	-3	9	-4	15		17		10		20	-1	152	15.2
2	Helen's Pie Monsters	11	-1	17		11		16		16		14		14		15		10		17		141	14.1
3	Blood on the Glass	12		10	-2	12		15		17	-3	14	-1	12	-3	12		10		19		133	13.3
4	4 Guys with Wood	9	-3	14	-3	11	-1	14	-1	11	-3	15		12	-1	10		10	-1	21		127	12.7
5	Boob Luge	12		13		9	-2	12	-1	13	-1	11		7		10	-1	6	-2	16		109	10.9
6	Out of the Blue	8	-2	8	-1	3	-2	5	-2	7	-1	8		11		11		6	-1	14		81	8.1

It sounds like Eliana Rodriguez and Michelle Karamon will both be back next year.

Eliana Rodriguez: "This meet had a great vibe and it's perfect for beginners to get to experience competition with so much support available to guide them through the meet. Experienced skydivers and top level teams can also count on a strong competition and get a good feel for how they are doing in comparison to some of the best teams in the country. There is a category for every level, and every team can be challenged, can learn and have fun. I really enjoyed the whole meet, the people and the vibe!!"

Michelle Karamon: "The 12-foot tunnel is challenging for sure, but everyone adapts and it adds a layer of difficulty to the competition. Lori and Rob improve the competition every year and do a great job making everyone feel welcome and comfortable. As Eliana said, all the teams are recognized and named during the awards, which is great to include everyone. It's just an all-around great competition that kicks off the skydiving year!"

The upcoming outdoor competition at Skydive Arizona will not have 41 teams in Eloy. However, Eliana Rodriguez and Michelle Karamon will surely do their best to forward to the teams at their own event as much of the New Hampshire experiences as possible...