posted Sep 16th, 2024 - The NSL News begins catching up with the 4-way opening ceremony, followed by the awards in all four horizontal Formation Skydiving categories. In between these two events were ten completed rounds of the 48 teams this year.

No extra rounds were necessary, even though there was very tight competition for the AA/Intermediate Class medals and in the A/Beginner Class. The AAA/Advanced Class competition only became very interesting after all ten rounds were completed, and the medals were already handed out.

Ben Liston's Chicken Bolts claimed the top spot by 12 points, and Air Raid XP with Kirk Verner were also far ahead of the three Air Force teams behind the first two places. The AF Gambit lineup won the internal Air Force competition by one single point and received the bronze medals for the large Air Force delegation.

The 3-team Air Force competition became even more meaningful when Chicken Bolts lost their gold medals a day after the completion of 4-way competition. AF Gambit moved up to 2nd place, and AF Halo won the bronze medals after the adjustment of the USPA leaderboard. Air Raid XP became the official USPA Advanced Class champion of 2024.

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NSL TV Unfiltered: 4-way Opening and Awards

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A specific USPA rule for the team composition was not regarded before and during the competition: "No team in any Advanced, Intermediate, or Beginner class (4-way and 8-way FS, 2-way MFS, 4-way VFS, etc.) may be composed of more than one quarter of members (in MFS 1 member) who have won a gold medal in that class, or any medal in a higher class of the same event at any USPA National Skydiving Championships, or in the same event at an FAI First Category Event, at any time in the prior five calendar years. The videographer will not be considered when applying this rule."

Chicken Bolts had actually two former Advanced Class gold medalists in their lineup. Brandon Kashani won his 1st place at the USPA Nationals 2021 with Lightspeed XP and player-coach Kirk Verner. Ben Liston won the Advanced Class competition with Mass Defiance at the USPA Nationals 2005.

Ben Liston won his gold medal obviously more than five years ago. The problem for Chicken Bolts was the fact that he had also won a bronze medal in the AAA/Open Class of the USPA Nationals 2019 where Mass Defiance celebrated a reunion of two original and two later members with the 3rd place in 4-way Open.

Neither Ben Liston nor his team mates were aware of this rule and heard about it after the award ceremony and the end of the first 8-way day. Ben Liston instantly informed USPA of the situation and asked for correction. Kirk Verner now won his 4th Advanced Class gold medal (2018 - 2019 - 2021 - 2024) after Air Raid XP now took the 1st place at this year's event. Ben Liston can legally try again next year, even if it is the same lineup.

USPA Nationals 2024		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	Advanced Class	K,P,H,19	C,F,20,N	M,O,L,12	G,6,3	17,7,10	A,21,14	18,9,4	22,15,1	11,13,E	2,16,B	Total	Avg
G	Chicken Bolts	21	21	16	15	15	15	15	12	15	15	160	16.0
1	Air Raid XP	16	18	17	14	15	14	16	11	16	15	152	15.2
2	Air Force Gambit	19	16	15	13	12	13	12	11	13	13	137	13.7
3	Air Force Halo	18	17	17	12	12	13	13	9	13	12	136	13.6
4	Air Force 9 Ball	17	15	16	13	14	13	12	10	13	13	136	13.6
5	Powered by MoonJuice	15	17	18	13	12	11	11	10	11	12	130	13.0
6	SDC Rhuthless	14	15	13	12	12	13	13	10	13	10	125	12.5
7	Mach Jesus Bumper Cars	14	13	14	12	12	12	11	10	12	10	120	12.0
8	Post Brainlock Speed	16	14	13	11	10	14	5	9	13	12	117	11.7
8	Platinum XP	16	14	14	11	8	11	12	9	11	11	117	11.7
10	Saucy Noods	11	13	13	9	11	12	11	10	10	11	111	11.1
11	Tequila Brothers	13	8	14	10	8	10	9	9	11	10	102	10.2
12	SDC Rhesistance	11	11	8	9	11	6	7	8	11	9	91	9.1
13	4 RHeal!	8	8	11	6	8	9	7	6	9	8	80	8.0
14	Perris Pick Up Sticks	8	9	10	8	9	4	5	7	8	7	75	7.5

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Chicken Bolts at the USPA Nationals 2024, Video Footage Courtesy of USPA/InTime

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