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Tempest is attending the team's 4th meet of the 2009 season and had a similar break as the team from California after a busy start this year. Tempest competed in March, April and May before coming back this weekend.
Much has happened in the meantime, and most importantly the scoring average (13.3 - 13.8 - 13.8 - 18.5 after eight rounds) has gone up significantly.
The NSL News met with the Tempest members at the end of the 6-round day at Skydive Sebastian for a live NSL Talk. Chris Ash (Tail), Gilles Dutrisac (Point), Thiago Murradas (Center Outside), Kris Peterson (Center Inside) and videographer Patrick Walker explained for the NSL News what has brought the team from the 13+ level to the current 18+ performance.
The Tempest members said that Thomas Hughes' coaching concept of slowing the pace down for a long stretch at the beginning of the season paid back when the team eventually picked up the pace.
It is a very interesting coincidence that their SDC Rhythm XP friends from the Midwest Skydiving League are in a very similar situation with their new Center Inside Rob Radez, who also competed in the AA Class until last year.
The NSL News has covered Rhythm's pursuit of the Mass Defiance "amateur" record average extensively. It seems as if it is not only the Midwest team that might be able to challenge this benchmark this year at the USPA Nationals 2009. The Sebastian Tempest videos of the first six rounds this weekend show that there is probably another team with the potential to do the same.
Then, they will eventually join forces and compete together in 8-way. The 4-way winner can pick the team name for the 8-way event. Tempest 1x2 (Tempest won by 2) competed for Tempest/Rhythm in 8-way last year. This year, it seemed so far as if Rhythm would win the right to pick the 8-way name. This does not seem so sure any longer...