posted Mar 16th, 2024 - The unfortunate personnel change in the French Aethers lineup, due to Tom Mattoni's injury, seems to have a slight impact on the performance and scoring level, as it had to be expected. Alternate and substitute Mathieu Bernier at least helps to keep the team at approximately a similar distance to Arizona Airspeed as the complete Aethers lineup had it last time at the 23rd FAI World Cup of Formation Skydiving.

Airspeed were 12 points ahead of Aethers after Round 6 in Norway, and the distance was 21 points at the end of the first competition day at the Shamrock Showdown 2024. Round 1 initiated Airspeed in a very powerful way this time, as the 6-point advantage was a clear response to the previous Round 1 discussions.

The Golden Knights took the same advantage of a slow start for the French national team this time, and they are much closer to Aethers compared to the French distance to Airspeed. Bigger changes may still happen, as the Golden Knights pulled the sequence for Round 9 out of the hat. The Shamrock Showdown has had the tradition of a manual competition draw since the event was launched 20 years ago. The teams take turns in drawing sequence by sequence, and it was the Golden Knights' turn for Round 9. New team videographer Skyler Romberg pulled the five random formations for Round 9.

Mar 15th, 2024			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		11		Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class		G,5,19		7,12,15		18,21,Q		17,16,A		E,L,22,11		2,10,M		F,6,N,9		J,13,O,8		C,K,H,P,B		D,20,4		14,1,3		Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	US	27		22		23		27	-2	25		23		-		-		-		-		-		147	24.5
2	France Aethers	FR	21	-1	18		22		24	-1	21		20	-1	-		-		-		-		-		126	21.0
3	Golden Knights	US	23	-1	17	-2	18	-3	24	-1	21		21		-		-		-		-		-		124	20.7
4	SDC Rhythm XP	US	19		16		18		22		19		17	-1	-		-		-		-		-		111	18.5
5	Nephtys	FR	14		16		17		18		17		17		-		-		-		-		-		99	16.5
6	Chicken Bolts	US	17		14		12	-2	15	-3	13	-1	16		-		-		-		-		-		87	14.5
7	Teiwaz	US	8	-1	11		11		13		11		11		-		-		-		-		-		65	10.8
8	Thyra	NO	10	-2	9	-1	10	-1	-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		29	9.7
Rank	AA Class		G,19,Q		7,15		18,21		A,11,9		E,L,22		2,M,8		F,6,N		J,13,O		C,K,H,P		D,20,4		14,1		Total	Avg
-	4Action	US	-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-	-
Rank	A Class		G,19		7,Q		21,N		A,9		E,L,8		2,M		F,6		J,O,B		C,K,H		D,4		P,19		Total	Avg
1	Air Go	US	3	-2	5		5		5	-1	4	-1	3	-1	6		-		-		-		-		31	4.4
2	Waitin' on a Woman	US	-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-	-

Especially the French team favors fast sequences. They had recent practice at the Wind Games 2024 where they mastered the fastest sequence of the competition (G,E,9,Q) with a 53-pointer in Round 2. The closest teams (Qatar Tigers, ISR Fireflash) finished the same round ten points behind.

Carl-Erik Tuv, original DeLand Norgies tail, was in the inside center slot for Thyra for the team's first three rounds on Friday. Norway's 4-way Women team arrived in the late night/early morning in DeLand and joined the competition after a short rest.

Silvana Disch arrived on Friday and is joining the team for the remaining rounds. Carl-Erik Tuv continues his Shamrock Showdown 2024 experience with Teiwaz, where he takes the inside center slot for Solly Williams. Tim Mack is outside center for Teiwaz. His father Thomas Mack performs in the same slot for the German national team in 4-way Open, Airbus Illertissen Oceanside. Tim Mack has trained and competed only with the A Class dive pool in his young career, and he takes on the complete AAA Class dive pool at the Shamrock Showdown. Carl-Erik Tuv has competed at several Shamrock Showdown events in his 4-way career with the DeLand Norgies, who spent a lot of time at Skydive DeLand during the six years when they won their three sets of FAI world championship medals (1999 - 2001 - 2003).

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Competition Day 1 at the Shamrock Showdown 2024

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