posted Mar 7th, 2022 - It was a very convincing start into the outdoor world meet season that Arizona Airspeed presented in February/March, first at the Paraclete XP Indoor Championship, followed by the Shamrock Showdown.

In fact, it was the best start in Airspeed history, and it made for a very strong statement. It was not only meant to impress NMP PCH HayaBusa, the 4-way indoor and outdoor world champions since 2014. The Belgians were fully aware of the situation and had accepted their restart earlier, with little chances to defend the title successfully in October.

HayaBusa needed the handicap of the traditional Shamrock Showdown Skins Game to win a few rounds. They took three rounds after handicap, with $200 for each skin, while Arizona Airspeed won the $1,000 prize money for the 1st place and additional two skins, all sponsored by Skydive City.

The Airspeed performances at Paraclete XP and Skydive City were a message to the whole skydiving world that the current lineup reclaims the top position in the 4-way world. This October it will be almost exactly a decade ago that Niklas Hemlin, Thomas Hughes, Josh Hall and Mark Kirkby won the last world meet gold medals for Arizona Airspeed and the U.S. delegation in Dubai, with Bill Schmitz on camera. There does not seem to be a team in the world that could possibly stop the current lineup from winning on Eloy home turf in October.

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Paraclete XP Indoor 2022		1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	F,9,4		G,8,A,C		22,10,J		11,D,6		N,3,M,H		20,P,Q,L		12,17,B		18,2,13		E,7,14		5,19,K		Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	39		37		26		29		40		37		31		25		33		33		330	33.0
Shamrock Showdown 2022		1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	G,Q,12,C		K,N,P,18		L,2,20		F,1,5		7,3,19		10,6,D		B,H,16,13		J,E,A,4		14,O,8		11,22,15		Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	29		33		23		29		23		24	-1	27		32		22		20		262	26.2

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Arizona Airspeed at the Shamrock Showdown 2022 and the Paraclete XP Indoor Championship 2022

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Niklas Hemlin was the center inside for Arizona Airspeed in Dubai 2012, and he is now showing exits as outside center that Thomas Hughes could not do much better. The 2012 lineup won by one single point over NMP PCH HayaBusa after a dramatic battle in Dubai. The Belgians had reduced the 5-point difference at the Shamrock Showdown to one point in December 2012.

The 26.2 average at the Shamrock Showdown 2022 was not the best outdoor start ever for Arizona Airspeed. The 2012 lineup outscored NMP PCH HayaBusa with their 26.6 average at the beginning of the world meet season.

However, the strength of the current Airspeed lineup is confirmed even more by the combination of indoor and outdoor scores. The 2012 lineup posted a 30.0 average at Paraclete XP, while Airspeed finished the ten indoor rounds at the end of February with a 33.0 average. Arizona Airspeed's strongest indoor/outdoor start into a world meet year also has a very healthy foundation, which will be helpful. The team did not loose one single point due to an infringement since Round 1 of the Paraclete XP Indoor Championship.

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Paraclete XP Indoor 2012		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	C,20,13	B,18,O,8	K,A,16,Q	H,F,J,4	2,11,10	M,E,21,22	P,L,3,12	14,6,D	G,1,19	N,5,9	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	25	29	38	39	22	29	28	27	25	38	300	30.0
Shamrock Showdown 2012		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	Q,8,H,22	16,19,13	10,14,2	E,C,20,K	5,M,9	A,6,F,17	D,21,N,B	P,O,G,J,1	18,4,7	12,15,3	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	25	20	18	35	36	25	33	31	23	20	266	26.6

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Arizona Airspeed at the Shamrock Showdown 2012 and the Paraclete XP Indoor Championship 2012

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It was a flawless and totally clean performance at Paraclete XP, and this did not change much at Skydive City. Paraclete XP judge Jim Rees had Claire King and Dirk Venter by his side for the Shamrock Showdown, both highly experienced FAI judges and operators of the InTime scoring system. In fact, all three will soon travel to Belgium to join the FAI judging panels at the FAI Indoor World Cup 2022.

There was one point deduction, which was not caused by an infringement of any formations or inters by the team. New Airspeed videographer Brendan Haddon caused the only red mark on the score sheet in Round 6 with the video angle after the exit. It was his first competition, and he had the opportunity to get used to the highest judging standards.

The strongest start with the combination of the highest indoor/outdoor scores and the extremely clean performance is the statement that comes from Arizona Airspeed at the beginning of the year.

The third FAI medal contender in 4-way Open, the Qatar Tigers, started their own winter/spring training camp just a few days after the conclusion of the Shamrock Showdown at Skydive City. There is no doubt that coach Gary Smith will use the same competition draw in training to see if the Tigers may havea chance defeat HayaBusa this year, or get close enough to Arizona Airspeed. The NSL News plans to visit Skydive City again very soon...