posted Oct 9th, 2024 - Yesterday's latest NSL News update after the 37-pointer and new 8-way world record for a single round mentioned that three GKXP8 members (Matt Davidson, Jeshua Stahler, Andrew Starr) have been living the recent history of the 8-way highscore. They trained and competed with the Golden Knights 8-way team and have been owning the highest 8-way scores in history together since 2015.

All three "Olden Knights", as they call themselves, eventually joined GKXP8 when the U.S. Army did not support an 8-way team any longer. Tim and John D'Annunzio have been fielding and supporting a Paraclete XP 8-way team since 2005, first only with pickup lineups for the USPA Nationals and indoor championships in their home tunnel with the 16-foot chamber, which allows 8-way training and competition.

The 8-way project became more serious when Paraclete XP8 won their own indoor championship in February 2019 and followed up with gold medals at the FAI Indoor World Championship 2019. It was the beginning of the pursuit of new 8-way record numbers.

Different lineups finally won outdoor gold medals at world championship, as well, Airspeed XP8 in Tanay 2021, Paraclete XP8 in Eloy 2022. XP8 already had three former Golden Knights in their world champion lineups of 2021 and 2022, Brian Krause, Matt Davidson and Craig Girard, and the different lineups were in pursuit of new 8-way record numbers with their world class competitors.

FAI Outdoor World Championship 2024			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open		14,G,13		J,C,17,12		D,A,21,P		18,B,H,F		E,L,O,8		22,2,K		6,7,16		9,20,15		3,M,N,4		5,1,10		Total	Avg
1	GKXP8	US	19	-1	21	-1	22		26		21	-1	21	-1	25		24		37		23		239	23.9
2	Qatar Falcons	QA	16		18		19		21		17		16	-1	20		19		25	-2	19		190	19.0
3	Operation Adler	DE	14		14		11	-2	13	-1	13		14		15		14		20	-2	15		143	14.3
4	Netunos	BR	10		8		9		8		5	-3	9		12		9	-1	12	-1	10	-1	92	9.2
5	Ap8thy	UK	11		6	-1	8		11		6	-1	6	-1	10	-1	8	-1	14		11		91	9.1

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26th FAI World Formation Skydiving Championships: GKXP8, Video Footage Courtesy of FAI/ISC/InTime

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The three "Olden Knights" (Matt Davidson, Jeshua Stahler, Andrew Starr) joined forces for the new GKXP8 lineup at the beginning of the 2023 season when U.S. Army and Paraclete XP worked together to support the 8-way team. It was the beginning of the road to the new 37-point world record for a single round and tying the highest meet average in history.

It was only a matter of time when all pieces of the new GKXP8 puzzles would fall into place with a favorable competition draw at the right time, and it happened yesterday. The new world record of 37 points even created the potential for the first 24-average in 8-way history. GKXP8 needed a 24-pointer in the last round to accomplish the second record number at Crystal Coast.

GKXP8 were literally inches away from the 24-average, as the score sheet and the freeze frame image are both showing. Two judges saw a complete formation, three judges did not. The previous 33-point world record for a single round is history, while the 23.9 average from Ottawa 2016 is still standing. Four point deductions at Crystal Coast had their own meaning in hindsight. The Golden Knights scored their 23.9 average in 2016 after two penalties. Matt Davidson, Jeshua Stahler and Andrew Starr posted their next 23.9 average eight years after the first one. The "Olden Knights" met for NSL Live Talk and had all the details and memories available.

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NSL Live Talk: GKXP8 members and "Olden Knights" Matt Davidson, Andrew Starr, Jesse Stahler

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