posted Aug 1st, 2022 - The NSL News introduced a few USPA medal contenders from Texas on July 28th. Spaceland Toxic and both A/Beginners Class teams (Toxic Ex Girlfriends, Toxic Turtles) seem to be on the way to play a role in the battle for medals at the national championships in September.

The other two AA/Intermediate Class teams who competed at the live part of the Pre-Nationals 2022 in Texas, 49 1/2 Finger Death Punch and Plug N Play, could not keep up with the well trained Spaceland Toxic lineup. However, they had their own competition with each other, and with two more teams who were planning to post their scores on the same leaderboard.

Florida team Anion Flux XP, with their home dropzone at Skydive Sebastian, completed their first five rounds on the same weekend as the teams in Texas and followed up with the second half of the meet at the next training day a week later.

Air Raid XP had scheduled their ten meet rounds for the second event weekend at Skydive Paraclete XP, and they had bad luck when Outside Center Calvin Falk got injured and was not available any longer. Air Raid XP coach Jeana Billings stepped in her XPG4 slot to help out, and the videos and scores will be added to the AA Class leaderboard as soon as possible.

---

---

Pre-Nationals 2022			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	AA Class		14,B,E		18,11		M,7,19		H,P,9		21,A,22		O,D,6		K,N,13		Q,8,L		20,4		15,G,1		Total	Avg
1	Spaceland Toxic	US	13		9		12	-2	16		9	-1	11	-2	9	-2	12		10		9	-1	110	11.0
2	49 1/2 Finger Death Punch	US	7	-1	7		12		15	-1	9		9		7		6	-3	7		2	-2	81	8.1
3	Plug N Play	US	5		5		10		11	-1	6	-1	5	-2	7		7		3	-2	6		65	6.5
-	Anion Flux XP	US	-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-	-
-	Air Raid XP	US	-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-	-

---

49 1/2 Finger Death Punch - Plug N Play - Anion Flux XP at the Pre-Nationals 2022

---

All four AA Class teams behind Spaceland Toxic will probably have their own battle for positions behind the USPA medals and within the Top 10. That alone is challenging enough, as it usually requires almost a 10+ average to make it to the Top 10.

Anion Flux XP would still be eligible to compete in the A/Beginners Class, after placing second at their first competition at the USPA Nationals 2021.

Only the winner in any of the USPA 4-way and 8-way categories is required to move up into the next higher category, according to the USPA rules.

However, the Sebastian team decided to learn the next eight blocks of the FAI/ISC dive pool and make the next step. Team goal is to reach the same scoring level where the team finished last year (9.0) with a new team member, Inside Center Felipe Della Giustina. Last year's Inside Center Austin Shelton moved to Outside Center for the new lineup.

Anion Flux XP seem to be on their way to accomplish the goal, as the videos of the Pre-Nationals are showing. A potential 9+ average would probably be enough to join the competition for the Top 10 positions.

---

---

Spaceland Toxic at the Pre-Nationals 2022

---

Spaceland Toxic did not have their complete lineup available for the Pre-Nationals on the meet weekend in Texas. Toxic Tail Andrew Clayton was not available, and the team needed an alternate.

Texas Skydiving League director Scott Latinis agreed to step in and compete while taking care of the logistics for the event, together with Christy West. Scott Latinis is one of the most experienced Formation Skydiving competitors in the United States and had no problem to accept the Toxic invitation.

The current Prison 9 member in 8-way helped Spaceland Toxic to finish on the same scoring level where the team was with the complete lineup earlier this year.

Team founder and captain John "Demo" McDonnell told the NSL News that he enjoyed a very interesting lineup at the meet. He said that he currently has a totally new 4-way competitor in the lineup (Laura Galdamez - Outside Center), and his former videographer Joshua Schirard is now in the Tail slot. He will have to give up Scott Latinis for the national championships, where the complete lineup will compete for Spaceland Toxic.