posted Sep 1st, 2023 - Shocking news came from Belgium earlier this week, and the NSL News live coverage of the German Outdoor Nationals has to be interrupted for a moment to digest the surprising update from the HayaBusa headquarters:

"It's with great sadness that we see Mike go in search of new challenges. We as a team are forever grateful to him, for his jokes, ?coffee with no filter and most of all for his amazing capacities in 4way skydiving! We made some of best jumps ever with Mike, and because of him we could put all our names once again on the excalibur in 2021. Who knows where we would have ended with the average if we had been able to make those final 4 jumps in Tanay??. He made soo many sacrifices for the team, and we are forever indebted to him. Luckily we have priceless and timeless memories that will live on! Ciao Michele ???????? Thank you for everything!"

It is ouside center Michele Silvi who has decided to discontinue his time with NMP PCH HayaBusa after the completion of the 23rd FAI World Cup of Formation Skydiving at Skydive Voss in Norway. He had joined the reigning 4-way world champions from Belgium after David Grauwels switched to the team's video slot, with three world championship titles as the team's inside center in his belt.

David Grauwels filmed the new lineup, with new HayaBusa member Michele Silvi in his former slot, to the next world championship title at theFAI Tanay Mondial in August 2021. That's when his brother Andy Grauwels decided to leave the team as a 4-time world champion.

23rd FAI World Cup of Formation Skydiving			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open		3,G,N,19		11,17,L		13,7,C		2,D,O,8		14,K,J,12		9,M,P,H		5,4,18		15,1,10		16,21,E		F,20,6		Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	US	26		27		26		25		22		48	-1	22		21		25		25		267	26.7
2	France 4-way Open	FR	23		25	-1	26		24		19		45	-1	19		19		23		23		246	24.6
3	NMP PCH HayaBusa	BE	20	-4	20	-2	25		23	-1	18	-2	45		20		19		24		24		238	23.8
4	Qatar Tigers	QA	20	-1	22	-1	23		20		19		40		13	-4	17	-1	22		19	-4	215	21.5

In the meantime, Arizona Airspeed had built up their new lineup to the level where they would be ready to challenge NMP PCH HayaBusa and any team in the world for the 4-way top spot. Andy Grauwels' leave changed the world's power structure instantly, as the Belgian world champions had to replace one of the most capable outside center performers in the sport.

Michele Silvi, the gifted 4-way competitor from Italy, joined the Belgian military services and replaced Andy Grauwels in his slot, while Neal Willems became the team's new inside center. NMP PCH HayaBusa were ready to sacrifice the world's top position and build up the new lineup to the known Belgian 4-way strength.

The new HayaBusa lineup has been showing consistent progression ever since Neal Willems joined the team, and the last five rounds in Norway last week again confirmed at least the proximity to France. NMP PCH HayaBusa and France both have been working on reducing the distance to Arizona Airspeed.

The Belgian team is now looking for the next candidate for the open slot. Arizona Airspeed and France both have probably moved out of reach for HayaBusa at the moment, unless videographer and alternate David Grauwels moves back into the active lineup.

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France 4-way Open - NMP PCH HayaBusa at the 23rd FAI World Cup of Formation Skydiving - Video footage courtesy of InTime/FAI/ISC

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