posted Oct 21st, 2019 - Echochamber, Sweden's national 4-way team, was one of the many victims of the slower competition draw at the FAI Outdoor World Cup, which did not allow them to perform on their best scoring level. However, all teams are dealing with the same competition draw, and Echochamber's performance at Skydive Arizona was also not matching the expectations of the Swedish team and observers.

The FAI/IPC starting order of the teams at a world cup or world meet is always according to the results at the previous FAI/IPC event, which in this case was the FAI Outdoor World Meet 2018 in Australia. It indicates somehow the expected ranking position at the current event.

Sweden was represented by Echochamber in Australia, as well, delivered an impressive outdoor performance, and they were rewarded with the 5th place. Due to the absence of NMP PCH HayaBusa, winner in Australia, and Qatar Tigers in 4th place, Echochamber moved up in the starting order for the world cup and shared the rides to jump altitude with Arizona Airspeed and the French national team in 4-way Open, Aerodyne Cypres Lille-Bondues.

France had a different 4-way Open Class lineup in Australia and finished in 3rd place. Only United States and France were seated ahead of Sweden and Echochamber for the starting order in Eloy.

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FAI Outdoor 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	-2	24		22	-3	62	-2	22	-2	20	-1	27	-1	22		279	27.9
2	Arizona Airspeed	US	26	-5	21		27	-1	24		24	-1	60	-1	26		22		27		20		277	27.7
3	Aerodyne Realfly	FR	29	-1	19		24	-2	23		24		52	-3	20	-3	17	-3	24		19		251	25.1
4	Qatar Tigers	QA	24	-2	14	-1	24	-1	21		22		53	-4	21	-1	18		20		17		234	23.4
5	Echochamber	SE	25	-1	16		21	-1	17	-2	20	-1	48	-4	14	-3	18		21	-1	15	-1	215	21.5
6	Amnesya	IT	24	-2	14		20	-1	18		18	-1	48	-5	18		14	-2	21	-1	15		210	21.0
7	Satori XL	UK	21		14	-1	21		19		19		37	-3	19		17		18	-1	16	-1	201	20.1
7	Airheads	CH	22	-3	14	-2	19	-2	17	-1	18		44		16		16	-2	18	-1	17		201	20.1
9	Evolution	CA	21	-1	13	-2	22		18	-1	15	-3	43	-2	15	-5	15	-2	19		15		196	19.6
10	Airbus FSZ Saar	DE	21	-1	14	-1	17	-5	17		16	-1	45	-1	15	-3	14	-1	18	-1	15		192	19.2
11	Tanay Wolves	RU	22		14		18	-1	17		16	-2	35	-3	17	-3	14	-1	18	-1	14		185	18.5
12	Rotor Out	AU	21	-1	13	-1	18	-2	14	-1	16	-1	32	-3	13	-7	13	-1	18		14		172	17.2
13	CTR Optimum	BR	19		10		17	-1	15		13	-1	31		14		14		18		13		164	16.4
14	Papea Masculino	ES	17	-1	13		18		13	-1	13		28	-3	14	-1	14	-1	13	-2	12		155	15.5
15	Out of the Blue Project 20+	NL	16	-1	11	-1	13	-3	14		15	-1	28	-2	15	-1	15		14	-2	12	-1	153	15.3
16	Meraki	ZA	14	-3	11		14		14		13		28	-1	12	-1	12		14		12		144	14.4
17	New Zealand	NZ	10	-4	9		12		11		10		21		7	-3	11		10	-1	11		112	11.2
18	Paraguay	PY	10	-1	8		10	-1	7	-2	9		17		7	-4	8	-1	10		8	-1	94	9.4
19	Cyprus	CY	13	-1	8		9	-2	8		7	-2	19	-1	7		8		9		5	-2	93	9.3

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The NSL Power Rankings are seating the participating teams according to their history and the most recent results, and Echochamber's expected performance at the world cup matched the FAI/IPC starting order in the preview on October 7th. Both U.S. top teams had to be split at their re-match, as only one national team is seated by FAI/IPC. SDC Rhythm XP was on the top of the NSL Power Rankings after the 1st place at the USPA Nationals.

The NSL News expected a tight competition for the 3rd place, as four teams shared the position, while Echochamber was still set on the top of this group of teams. The same four teams eventually took the four ranking positions behind Arizona Airspeed and SDC Rhythm XP, but in a different order.

Airspeed Odyssey, Defiance and France matched the NSL Power Rankings at the end of the competition, while Echochamber missed the bronze medal position by six points and ended up in 6th place with the team's lowest 10-round outdoor average since 2017. The Swedes were disappointed and started searching for reasons for the outcome as soon as the competition was over.

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FAI Outdoor World Cup 2019 - NSL Power Rankings			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
1	SDC Rhythm XP	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
1	Arizona Airspeed	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3	Echochamber	SE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3	Airspeed Odyssey	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3	Defiance	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3	Aerodyne Cypres Maubeuge	FR	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
7	eX3MO	IT	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
7	Chimera	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
7	Eros	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
7	Pro Team	FI	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
11	Kinetix	AU	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
12	China	CN	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
13	Pajama Pumas	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
14	Adventure Flyers	PY	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

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Echochamber was formed in 2016 in an effort to bring more competition and a change to Sweden, where the 4-way veterans of Gryttjom Volo, including Mattias Nord, were dominating 4-way competition. Volo still kept the upper hand in 2016 until the team discontinued after the FAI Indoor World Cup 2016, where Echochamber finished right behind Volo. No team from Sweden competed at the world meet the same year.

Echochamber won the national championship in 2017 without serious opposition and bolted up to a 20.0 average after six rounds. It was neither coincidence nor a fast competition draw, and the confirmation came a year later with 21.1 outdoor averages at the next national championship and a visit at the Belgian Outdoor Nationals 2018. Echochamber then topped it off with a 21.5 average and the 5th place at the FAI World Meet 2018.

More intensive training in 2019 naturally raised the expectations, and the Swedish team became an underdog for FAI bronze medals when France changed direction and focused on 8-way competition. The Qatar Tigers were the new top contender for the 3rd place in the world, and they became the new target for Echochamber.

New expectations and more pressure could have made it more difficult for the Swedes. They were not happy with their performances at the last two FA/IPC events, the FAI Indoor World Meet and the most recent FAI Outdoor World Cup. It will not keep Echochamber from pursuing their peak performance level. The evaluation began right after Round 10 in Eloy, and it would be no surprise to see a powerful Swedish comeback very soon...

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FAI Outdoor World Cup 2019			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open		13,11,16		P,22,4		O,7,21		9,20,G		18,15,L		K,10,3		6,14,C		1,M,A,17		F,D,Q,8		2,5,E		Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	US	20	-1	22		28		29		21		21	-1	21	-2	29		31	-2	24	-2	246	24.6
2	SDC Rhythm XP	US	19	-1	22		25		21	-2	20	-1	20		23		25		29	-1	24	-2	228	22.8
3	Airspeed Odyssey	US	14	-2	17	-2	22	-2	21	-2	18	-1	16	-3	21		23		26	-3	17	-2	195	19.5
4	Defiance	US	17		17		21	-1	22		16	-2	15	-2	21		20	-2	26		16	-2	191	19.1
5	Aerodyne Cypres Lille-Bondues	FR	15	-1	16		19		21		16	-1	17		18		22		25		21		190	19.0
6	Echochamber	SE	17		14	-3	22		20	-3	17		16	-1	19		20		23	-1	21		189	18.9
7	Chimera	UK	14	-1	16	-1	21		19	-1	17		16	-1	18	-1	22		26	-1	18	-1	187	18.7
8	Pro Team	FI	15	-1	18		20		17	-1	17		15		18		21		26		18	-1	185	18.5
9	Kinetix	AU	14	-1	17		19		19		15	-1	17		18		19		23	-1	16		177	17.7
10	China	CN	12	-1	17		19		17	-1	14	-1	13	-1	16		20		24		15	-1	167	16.7
11	Eros	UK	12	-2	16		20		18		15	-1	13	-2	12	-4	17	-1	22		16	-1	161	16.1
12	eX3MO	IT	13		13	-2	17	-2	13	-4	12	-1	14		13		16	-1	22	-2	14		147	14.7
13	Pajama Pumas	UK	10	-2	12		17		14	-1	13		12		15		16		15	-2	13		137	13.7

Video Footage Courtesy of FAI/IPC/OmniSkore!HD

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