posted Jul 23rd, 2020 - SDC Rhythm XP member Andrew Happick has a very busy schedule these days, even in the middle of the corona crisis. Wind tunnels and skydiving centers are back in operation, and the teams are back in training action, even if no competition events are taking place yet.

He has been a full-time skydiver for many years, when he and Doug Barron decided together to leave an academic career behind after graduating from college times at the Virginia Tech University. They turned the college team VTSD into Carolina Turbo XP, which became one of the best U.S. 4-way teams.

Turbo XP were at the point of getting dangerously close to Arizona Airspeed and SDC Rhythm XP when Andrew Happick and Doug Barron were recruited by JaNette and Steve Lefkowitz for a new Rhythm lineup in 2016.

Andrew Happick, Doug Barron, JaNette and Steve Lefkowitz staid together for four years and finally achieved their first ultimate goal: winning the USPA Nationals. It was the 11-round thriller at the USPA Nationals 2019 that qualified SDC Rhythm XP as the U.S. national 4-way Open Class team for the FAI Mondial 2020. USPA confirmed the selection even after the cancellation and rescheduling of the world meet.

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USPA Nationals 2019			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		11		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open		7,C,H,P		J,21,20		O,3,11		B,2,K,E		8,Q,10		15,D,F,12		N,L,M,14		6,1,9		A,18,13		G,4,5		17,16,22		Total	Avg
1	SDC Rhythm XP	US	41		22		21	-1	33		21		23		27		25		24		25		21	-1	262	26.2
2	Arizona Airspeed	US	40	-1	24		22	-2	32		19	-2	24		29		25		21	-2	26	-1	20	-2	262	26.2

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SDC Rhythm XP vs. Arizona Airspeed at the USPA Nationals 2019

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Andrew Happick and Doug Barron together were now facing the first personnel change of their active SDC Rhythm XP lineup, when JaNette Lefkowitz stepped back, and the team selected Christy Frikken as the new inside center. Andrew Happick and Steve Lefkowitz continue together in the front piece, while tail Doug Barron has to get familiar with his new piece partner.

Andrew Happick has to prove his own flexibility and adjustment skills in a different area. He has been training with Airspeed XP8 for several months since Matt Davidson took a break to get ready for his hip surgery. In fact, he has collected more indoor training hours and outdoor training jumps with the 8-way team this year than he has spent with SDC Rhythm XP so far.

It will still continue like this for a while until Matt Davidson is fully recovered and ready for 8-way indoor and outdoor training. Andrew Happick will then become the official alternate for Airspeed XP8.

His position as the 8-way alternate puts him into a potential double-duty event at the world meet next year. At least, he will collect two FAI medals, as Airspeed XP8 is expected to win one of the three medal sets in Tanay, and he will also compete for medals with SDC Rhythm XP's new lineup.

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NSL Live Talk with Andrew Happick last week at Paraclete XP

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The NSL News met with Andrew Happick during the most recent 8-way training camp at Paraclete XP to discuss his special situation. He is the only competitor in the U.S. delegation for the next world meet who is registered for two event, unless one of the Airspeed XP8 members will also serve as the official alternate for SDC Rhythm XP.

It is a big job at his first world championship, which it is just as well for all of his four current Rhythm team mates, including team videographer Justin Wageman. Only JaNette Lefkowitz has competed at a world championship, when she helped out for the Golden Knights in 2016 and won the 4-way Women gold medal.

Andrew Happick left no doubt in the interview that his 4-way team is still aiming at the world championship title, despite the recent personnel change. SDC Rhythm XP told the NSL News in earlier interviews that the FAI gold medals are the ultimate goal. He said that NMP PCH HayaBusa are not really far ahead, as the Belgians are also dealing with the integration of a new team member.

The world's two top contenders have had a similar time-frame for their preparations for the world meet. Only Arizona Airspeed had the team's current lineup together earlier and are ahead with training efforts. However, Airspeed's 4-way team will not compete for the U.S. delegation in Tanay next year. Only Niklas Hemlin and Mikhail Markine will travel to Russia and compete for Airspeed XP8. Niklas Hemlin has been Andrew Happick's piece partner in 8-way, and he also talked about his impressions and experiences after flying with one of the most experienced 4-way competitors in the world.