posted May 15th, 2020 - Last and not least, the NSL News road trip to Paraclete XP concluded with a training day of the U.S. national 8-way team, Airspeed XP8, on Monday. It was the first day of a 2-week camp with indoor and outdoor training.

Four of the nine team members were busy on the previous weekend, when XPG4 and Arizona Airspeed had scheduled 4-way indoor training. Michelle Karamon and Jeana Billings were busy with their new XPG4 lineup, as well as Niklas Hemlin and Mikhail Markine continued their 4-way training with Christopher Kuhlmann and Joey Marshall.

The training at Paraclete XP was a good preview of what Airspeed XP8 and the two 4-way teams have to expect for the next 15 months. The original date of the FAI Mondial Tanay 2020 would have required the same four team members and their two 4-way teams to joggle their 4-way and 8-way plans only until August 2020. The cancellation and rescheduling of the event then added another year to the double-duties.

It's not only the balance between 4-way and 8-way training and competition to prepare for Airspeed XP8's pursuit of 8-way gold medals at the FAI Mondial in 2021 that will be a challenging task. Arizona Airspeed and XPG4 both are also the U.S. national 4-way indoor teams after the Paraclete XP Indoor Championship 2020, and FAI/ISC have scheduled the next indoor world meet for April next year, four months before the outdoor world meet.

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Airspeed XP8 training day at Paraclete XP last Monday

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It's a challenging situation for the U.S. indoor and outdoor delegations for 2021. However, the involved teams could not ask for better support than what they have available for their preparations. Paraclete XP and Skydive Arizona are behind the teams with their logistics that many teams can only dream of.

The NSL TV Unfiltered video of Monday's activities in Raeford provide an insight of the ideal training conditions for the U.S. teams. Airspeed XP8 started with six training jumps from the Twin Otter early in the morning. Kirk Verner knew that the winds would pick up speed later, and he called the team to the dropzone at 6.30 in the morning. XP8 had six jumps in the bag before it became too windy.

The training day was still not over. The 5-minute drive to the Paraclete XP windtunnel was next, and the training continued in the 16-foot flying chamber.

The new schedule until the FAI Mondial Tanay 2020 next year changed a lot of things for all teams and competitors in the world, including the three 8-way medal winners at the FAI Outdoor World Cup 2019. However, one Airspeed XP8 member was affected even more than all of his team mates, and it has once again changed the XP8 lineup, at least temporarily.

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FAI Outdoor World Cup 2019			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	8-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	Tanay 8	RU	19		26		18		20		23		21	-1	20		24		20		16		207	20.7
2	France	FR	20		24		18		19	-1	21		22	-1	19		23		19		17		202	20.2
3	Paraclete XP8	US	21	-1	24	-1	16	-1	18		21		20	-2	19		22	-1	19		18		198	19.8
4	Arizona Airspeed	US	18		21		16		18		16	-3	21	-1	17		17	-1	16		14	-1	174	17.4
5	Qatar Falcons	QA	16	-1	20	-1	14	-1	13	-3	17	-1	12	-5	15		19		15		14		155	15.5
6	Airbus	DE	14	-1	15		12		15		15	-1	15		12	-1	15		14	-1	12		139	13.9
7	Monster	US	12		13	-1	10	-1	12		14		13		12		15		11	-1	10		122	12.2
8	Amphibious Attack Tigers	US	11		16		10		11		9	-3	13	-1	14		10	-1	13		11		118	11.8
9	Groomed	UK	7	-2	9		8	-1	9		10		7		8	-1	10		13		7		88	8.8

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Matt Davidson was planning to get his hip replacement surgery done after the world meet in August 2020. He would bridge the time period with cortisone injections that would control inflammation and pain well enough to make it through the world meet. The additional year until the Mondial 2020 changes his plan.

SDC Rhythm XP member Andrew Happick is filling his slot and was already in full training swing with Airspeed XP8 this week. Matt Davidson explained that his 8-way team needs to have the alternate ready to perform at the USPA Nationals this year, in case he may not be ready after the surgery.

His hip replacement is still scheduled for the same time in August. He could not get an earlier date, as the regulations during the corona virus crisis allow hospitals only essential medical treatment. Matt Davidson is hoping to be back shortly after the surgery though. In the meantime, he is supporting the team in many ways, as the new NSL TV video is showing.

Of course, the situation has also changed the plans for Andrew Happick. Now he has double-duties, as well, at least until August this year, or possibly even through the USPA Nationals. He is used to it, as he has been player-coaching the Rhythm 8-way team, together with Doug Barron. However, the Airspeed XP8 commitment is of a different dimension with a very busy schedule, while his own 4-way team needs as much training as possible with a new team member. Andrew Happick is balancing a different set of tasks...