posted Oct 24th, 2024 - The NSL News honored the retirement of original HayaBusa member Sven Ibens from competitive 4-way training and competition after his last event with ISR FireFlash at the ESL Championship 2024 with the update on September 29th, including new NSL Live Talk.

He mentioned during the conversation that his son Siem, 17 years of age, has joined Belgian 4-way team Falco, who competed at the same event at the Fallschirmsportzentrum Saar in Germany. Siem Ibens had made NSL News headlines already earlier, as the ESL Championship was not even his first outdoor competition. The Ibens family (Annelies Hasewinkel-Ibens, Sven and Siem Ibens) had competed together twice before with Family Flash, outdoors at the combined Belgian/Dutch outdoor championship in 2023 with ISR FireFlash member Lena Cynhens in the lineup, indoors with Leon van Leeuwen at the ISR Grand Prix 2023.

Father Sven and son Siem Ibens were separated at their latest 4-way competition, the ESL Championship 2024, Sven Ibens' farewell event. Belgian 4-way team Falco have been looking for a new team member, and Siem Ibens joined the three original Falco's Valerie Van Daele, Maarten Coenen and Hans Van der Avert this year.

Falco 2022 - 2023 member Paul Hofstee had gone back to his Dutch roots, as the NSL News reported on May 25th, and he competed with Out Of The Blue at the 26th FAI World Formation Skydiving Championships earlier this month. He had trained and competed with Falco in 2019 and then again in 2022/2023.

ESL Championship 2024			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class		B,4,1		Q,O,E,F,22		10,14,9		5,6,L		C,3,J,15		12,17,13		K,A,19,21		8,7,H		G,20,N,D		P,11,18		Total	Avg
1	Qatar Lions	QA	20		27	-2	16	-1	21		18	-1	14	-1	20	-1	21		23		18		198	19.8
2	Airbus Illertissen Oceanside	DE	18	-1	26		17		20		18		15		20	-1	21		20		16	-1	191	19.1
3	ISR Fireflash	BE	19		24	-1	16		21		17	-1	16	-1	17	-1	20		21		17		188	18.8
4	Skywalkers Junior	CZ	16	-1	22	-3	14	-1	18	-1	18	-1	15		17	-1	17	-2	16	-4	17		170	17.0
5	AYRO	BE	17		22	-1	11		18		16		12		16		18		16	-1	14	-1	160	16.0
6	Qatar Cheetahs	QA	14	-1	23		13		14		12	-3	13		15	-2	16		17	-1	13		150	15.0
7	Dark NeVa	DE	12		18		13		13		15		12		15		14		15		12		139	13.9
8	Falco	BE	14		16	-3	11	-1	13		14		12		15		16		14		12	-2	137	13.7
9	Mriya	UA	10		15	-1	9		12		10	-1	10		11		12	-1	10	-1	8	-1	107	10.7
10	Schnelle Schnecken	UK	7	-2	13	-1	9		9		9		6	-1	9		12		8		9		91	9.1
11	Shinobi	NL	9		13		7		8		7	-1	6	-1	9		11		8	-1	8	-1	86	8.6

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ISR FireFlash - Falco at the ESL Championship 2024

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Falco members Valerie Van Daele, Maarten Coenen and Hans Van der Avert have been training and competing together since 2017 when they started in the AA Class, with Andy Pieters in the lineup. They stepped up to AAA Class competition together in 2018. Paul Hofstee joined Falco in 2019 when Andy Pieters did not continue.

The first comeback after the corona virus crisis at the Belgian Outdoor Nationals 2021 featured current NMP PCH HayaBusa's inside center Neal Willems in the Falco lineup before he was recruited by the then reigning Belgian 4-way world champions of 2021. That's when Paul Hofstee came back to fill the open Falco slot in 2022 and 2023, until Dutch national team Out Of The Blue offered him a slot.

Valerie Van Daele, Maarten Coenen and Hans Van der Avert were tested seriously right away with their new young team mate Siem Ibens at the ESL Championship 2024, as they had their own internal battle with German team Dark Neva on the AAA Class leaderboard.

Dark Neva had carried a 2-point lead into Round 10 when the new Falco lineup completed two more formations within working time to tie the total of the two teams. However, the judges deducted two of the 14 points due to infringements, and Dark Neva won the German/Belgian duel by the same two points after Round 9.

ESL Championship 2024			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class		B,4,1		Q,O,E,F,22		10,14,9		5,6,L		C,3,J,15		12,17,13		K,A,19,21		8,7,H		G,20,N,D		P,11,18		Total	Avg
1	Qatar Lions	QA	20		27	-2	16	-1	21		18	-1	14	-1	20	-1	21		23		18		198	19.8
2	Airbus Illertissen Oceanside	DE	18	-1	26		17		20		18		15		20	-1	21		20		16	-1	191	19.1
3	ISR Fireflash	BE	19		24	-1	16		21		17	-1	16	-1	17	-1	20		21		17		188	18.8
4	Skywalkers Junior	CZ	16	-1	22	-3	14	-1	18	-1	18	-1	15		17	-1	17	-2	16	-4	17		170	17.0
5	AYRO	BE	17		22	-1	11		18		16		12		16		18		16	-1	14	-1	160	16.0
6	Qatar Cheetahs	QA	14	-1	23		13		14		12	-3	13		15	-2	16		17	-1	13		150	15.0
7	Dark NeVa	DE	12		18		13		13		15		12		15		14		15		12		139	13.9
8	Falco	BE	14		16	-3	11	-1	13		14		12		15		16		14		12	-2	137	13.7
9	Mriya	UA	10		15	-1	9		12		10	-1	10		11		12	-1	10	-1	8	-1	107	10.7
10	Schnelle Schnecken	UK	7	-2	13	-1	9		9		9		6	-1	9		12		8		9		91	9.1
11	Shinobi	NL	9		13		7		8		7	-1	6	-1	9		11		8	-1	8	-1	86	8.6

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Dark Neva - Falco at the ESL Championship 2024

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Dark Neva had to replace DFV President Henning Stumpp, who was not available for the next Dark Neva competition. He was in the lineup when the team won the bronze medals at the German Outdoor Nationals 2024 in Gransee. Fortunately, one of the Meltemi Oceanside Illertissen members was available. Claire Rebhahn would travel shortly later with her own team to compete for Germany in 4-way Women at the 26th FAI World Formation Skydiving Championships. She was available on a short call to replace Henning Stumpp.

Dark Neva did not only find a more than adequate substitute for the ESL Championship. They also had a substantial advantage in the judging room. The Dark Neva lineup in Saarlouis did not give away a single point for any infringements, and team videographer Erik Lorenz is one of the most reliable performers on camera.

He has also been filming the Airbus 8-way team with his flawless camera performance and only missed the trip to North Carolina after the 8-way showdown with Operation Adler at the national outdoor championship. Operation Adler then won the 8-way bronze medals for Germany with Daniel Lamberty on camera, while Pablo Fahrenschon was filming Meltemi at Crystal Coast. Dark Neva videographer Erik Lorenz was rewarded once again for his flawless performance. It was the 4th time that he received the special award at the ESL Championship after his 4th appearance at the event. The German delegation also won the ESL Spirit, as the NSL News reported on September 24th.