posted Nov 1st, 2021 - NSL Live Talk with the new U.S. 4-way champions, Arizona Airspeed, had to wait until all Formation Skydiving events were completed. All team members were busy with the other three events (8-way - 10-way - 16-way), as the NSL News mentioned in earlier updates.

The coverage of the 10-way competition pointed out that the newest and latest Airspeed sweep of all Formation Skydiving events could still be stopped by the Golden Knights. The update on October 30th featured the details of the dramatic 10-way finish.

Eventually, Niklas Hemlin, Mikhail Markine and Chris Kuhlmann completed the sweep in the last round of the 10-way competition in the most exciting and closest event of Formation Skydiving competition at this year's event. The 10-way competition became the perfect showdown at the very end of the event on Saturday.

Only Airspeed point Joey Marshall was not in the AZXP8 lineup and had to settle with three USPA gold medals. His three team mates were able to accomplish a special treat that is possible only at the USPA Nationals every year.

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USPA Nationals 2021		1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open	13,5,D		Q,9,4		F,14,C,10		H,L,20,N		18,22,19		11,J,E,8		6,7,K		G,15,12		M,2,21		16,A,P,O		Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	22	-2	28	-1	24		30		18	-1	25		26		20		24		35		252	25.2
2	SDC Rhythm XP	26		24	-4	21	-2	27	-1	19		23		26		21		24	-1	29		240	24.0
3	Golden Knights Gold	21		26		20		25	-1	16		23		21		17		16	-1	25	-1	210	21.0
4	The Jets	16	-1	20	-1	18		22		14		17		21		16		19		24		187	18.7
5	Skydive Midwest NEXT	18		21		18		20		14	-1	18		20		14		18		21	-1	182	18.2
6	XPG4	16		19		15	-2	22		13		19		18		14		18		21		175	17.5
7	Elsinore Bullet	16		18	-1	17		20	-1	12	-1	18		18		14		18		22		173	17.3
8	Aviatrixx	13		16		14		12	-3	10	-1	13		13		10	-1	14		16	-1	131	13.1
9	Golden Knights Black	12	-1	12	-3	14		13	-1	11		13		12		10		13	-2	16	-1	126	12.6

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Arizona Airspeed at the USPA Nationals 2021 - Video Footage Courtesy of USPA/OmniSkore!HD

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The USPA FS Sweep by a complete 4-way lineup is an even more rare occasion. The NSL News records are showing the last one in 2007, when Airspeed Odyssey (Eliana Rodriguez, Craig Girard, Mark Kirkby and Andy Delk) won the same four FS events. Craig Girard and Mark Kirkby accomplished the same even twice before, with Airspeed Vertical (John Eagle, Neal Houston) in 2000 and 2001. The current Airspeed lineup would have surely copied the same team sweep with Joey Marshall in the 8-way lineup, as well.

It took more than a decade since the last USPA FS Sweep in 2007 until the next U.S. competitor accomplished the same. Only complete Airspeed 4-way lineups have been on the list before SDC Rhythm XP member Steve Lefkowitz won the same four events at the USPA Nationals 2019, as the NSL News pointed out on 29 September 2019.

His Rhythm team mate Andrew Happick came actually very close to the same accomplishment in 2019. He was in the XP8 lineup and won the 16-way competition, as well. However, only Steve Lefkowitz was also in the AZXP10 lineup of 2019.

Steve Lefkowitz was back with almost exactly the same AZXP10 lineup last week, where Brenn Richards replaced Thiago Gomes. He also defended his 16-way title successfully with AZXPGK. He finished 2nd with SDC Rhythm XP in 4-way this time, and he did not compete in 8-way Open this year.

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USPA Nationals 2021		1	2	3	4	5	6	Total	Avg
Rank	10-way Speed	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
1	AZXP10	12.12	13.65	11.81	13.50	12.51	13.13	76.72	12.79
2	Golden Knights	13.68	11.37	12.43	14.01	13.12	12.32	76.93	12.82
3	Prison Break	17.97	16.14	15.58	19.56	16.92	17.57	103.74	17.29

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Airspeed XP8 - AZXP10 - AZXPGK at the USPA Nationals 2021 - Video Footage Courtesy of USPA/OmniSkore!HD

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It was obviously an extremely successful event for the Airspeed XP delegation, as eleven members won the three events that includes the qualification as U.S. national teams for the next world meet in Eloy 2022. Airspeed XP8 will compete again in 8-way after leaving the Golden Knights 18 points behind. Arizona Airspeed distanced themselves by 12 points from SDC Rhythm XP, and XPG4 easily won the 4-way Women slot.

The great success with the very efficient and complete FS Sweep still causes problems with the world meet qualification. The situation after the USPA Nationals would require five ASXP8 members to perform 4-way and 8-way double-duties at the world meet if the same lineups continue unchanged.

Niklas Hemlin, Mikhail Markine and Chris Kuhlmann are AZXP8 members and have to take on NMP PCH HayaBusa in 4-way Open next year. Jeana Billings and Michelle Karamon are 8-way world champions with ASXP8, while XPG4 plan to challenge Russia and France in 4-way Women.

The opposition at world meets is naturally much stronger, compared to national championships, and the event format is different, too. 4-way and 8-way events are not separated the same way as it is standard at USPA Nationals. Any double-duties require immediate transitions from one event to the other. The NSL News will follow up on this topic soon.