posted Jun 25th, 2019 - Arizona Airspeed and SDC Rhythm XP did not compete at the Paraclete XP Summer Classic and did not measure up before they will have their showdown at the USPA Nationals 2019. There was still another interesting duel that will lead into the national championships in September, as well.

The two AAA Class teams behind Golden Knights and 2nd Generation, Vega XP and SDC RhEvolution XP, had their own battle for the Paraclete bronze medals, and Vega XP won by five points. Both teams had their first confrontation at the Paraclete XP Indoor Championship in February after different paths in 2018.

Vega XP had competed in the AA/Intermediate Class of 2017 and won the gold medals at the USPA Nationals that year. They moved up into the AAA Class last year and competed in the 4-way Advanced Class of the USPA Nationals 2018 (13.1 - 8th place).

SDC RhEvolution XP was one year behind and competed in the AA/Intermediate Class at the same event. They placed 2nd, one point behind TSC Cadence, but could not receive USPA silver medals due to lack of eligibility. RhEvolution and Vega then posted their scores for the first time on the same leaderboard at the Paraclete Indoor Championship 2019. It was a 9-point difference between the two teams after ten rounds in Paraclete's 16-foot flying chamber. Vega and RhEvolution were back on the same leaderboard four months later at the Paraclete XP Summer Classic.

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Paraclete XP Indoor 2019		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	P,N,Q,1	G,2,17	14,18,D	K,12,10	5,H,J,L	19,M,7	15,13,8	C,6,B,9	20,16,11	E,3,O,A	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	38	30	25	25	42	31	23	44	23	36	317	31.7
2	SDC Rhythm XP	39	31	24	23	44	30	22	35	22	36	306	30.6
3	Golden Knights Gold	30	27	22	19	34	26	20	35	21	29	263	26.3
4	Ranch 2nd Generation	31	26	23	22	30	27	18	30	21	28	256	25.6
5	XPG4	30	22	20	19	31	24	19	28	17	27	237	23.7
6	Lite XP	25	19	16	17	23	24	17	26	17	27	211	21.1
7	Great Expectations	27	15	18	17	24	23	16	24	13	24	201	20.1
8	Air Force Shadow	25	20	15	15	27	20	16	25	15	22	200	20.0
9	Perris Force	27	16	16	16	20	22	14	23	14	23	191	19.1
10	Vega XP	22	13	15	12	21	23	15	24	15	20	180	18.0
10	Phoenix XP	22	17	15	16	20	20	14	20	15	21	180	18.0
12	SDC Rhevolution XP	23	14	14	14	19	20	14	21	15	17	171	17.1
13	Fire Ball XP4	23	14	15	14	21	18	15	16	12	21	169	16.9
14	Air Force Boomers	22	16	12	14	22	18	15	18	10	15	162	16.2
15	Lucky Joshua	21	13	14	13	17	17	14	17	13	20	159	15.9
16	SCZ ZEUS 3.5	19	15	13	12	18	15	10	18	11	17	148	14.8
17	A Bunch of Misfits Winto a Bar	17	13	13	14	20	18	13	11	11	16	146	14.6
18	Airtrocity	18	14	12	12	18	17	13	17	10	14	145	14.5
19	NSL4XIC	18	12	10	9	16	15	10	15	10	13	128	12.8

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The Paraclete XP Summer Classic was the first outdoor duel between SDC RhEvolution XP and Vega XP. RhEvolution had already tested the AAA Class outdoor competition environment with ten rounds at the June meet of the Virginia Parachute Council. They could compare their scores with the Czech national 4-way team Flying Circus on the same weekend.

The 11.6 average at Skydive Orange was the first AAA Class number at an outdoor competition. Less than a month later, RhEvolution was back in freefall and finished with a 13.6 average at Skydive Paraclete XP.

Both teams have new lineups this year. Greg Oldendick has replaced Josh Reinert for SDC RhEvolution XP. Brandon Kashani became the new tail for Vega XP after Julie Kleinwort left. RhEvolution and Brandon Kashani were direct opponents at the USPA Nationals 2018 when TSC Cadence won USPA's Intermediate Class gold medals. They are now facing each other again on the AAA Class leaderboards.

Vega XP's new lineup started with a new team record indoor average at the Paraclete meet (16.2 - 18.0) and lifted the outdoor average from 13.1 at the USPA Nationals to 14.1 at the Summer Classic.

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Paraclete XP Summer Classic 2019		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	2,16,E	P,L,12,A	3,1,5	11,G,19	9,22,15	K,H,10,21	7,17,O	F,N,M,J,20	B,6,4	8,C,Q,13	Total	Avg
1	Golden Knights	19	24	18	19	19	19	24	29	22	19	212	21.2
2	Ranch 2nd Generation	18	21	14	16	15	20	21	24	19	16	184	18.4
3	Vega XP	11	13	13	12	11	15	15	23	15	13	141	14.1
4	SDC RhEvolution XP	12	12	11	14	11	12	14	20	15	15	136	13.6
5	TSC Cadence	9	9	8	9	10	8	11	15	-	-	79	9.9

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The results of both teams at the recent outdoor competition indicates that they will be competing for Advanced Class medals at this year's USPA Nationals.

Savage XP, with new RhEvolution member Greg Oldendick in the lineup, together with player coach Kirk Verner, XP8 member Jena Billings and Tony Massari, set new Advanced Class standards with the 17.4 average last year. However, USPA's silver and bronze medals went to teams with 14+ averages.

Vega XP and SDC RhEvolution XP both will probably be well above the 14-average benchmark and compete for USPA medals, once again for Vega and first time for RhEvolution. It's also not unusual that a previous Intermediate Class winner at USPA Nationals wins again in the Advanced Class later. VTSD/Carolina Turbo XP, with Rhythm members Andrew Happick and Doug Barron in the lineup, did that in 2009/2010, followed by SDMW NEXT in 2015/2016.

Vega XP would have a delay by one year, after winning the Intermediate Class gold in 2017. However, there could always be dark horses with experienced 4-way competitors who stay under the radar until it is time for the USPA Nationals...