posted Jan 11th, 2010 - Yesterday's last headline will most likely have to be corrected - and then maybe not.

It has not been officially posted yet that Arizona Airspeed made a re-jump for Round 3 at the Dubai Championship 2010 and improved the score from 20 to 22. However, Airspeed confirmed the re-jump already very early this morning:

"We were granted a re-jump to an excessively slow jump run speed for our Round 3..."

Airspeed then commented the score for Round 3 after the re-jump:

"Round 3 and 4 are both done. Official score on Round 3 re-jump was 22, we must have had a bust in there somewhere, as we had it timed at 23 with 24 possibly in."

Airspeed had mentioned after the first jump for Round 3 and before the scores were posted that the team had a slow start out the door. The "excessively slow jump run speed" was probably the reason for this first impression.

The new Airspeed score for Round 3 re-created the 3-point lead that Airspeed had after two rounds.

However, Hayabusa Defence was not shaken by the new situation, as it seems. The new scores for Round 4 have not been officially posted yet, and Airspeed already mentioned that the Belgian team continued just as strongly as in Round 3:

"Official scores in for Round 4: 21 for USA and 23 for Hayabusa. Amazing flying going on from the Belgium camp this year. Only one point separates us with four rounds to go."

This brings back yesterday's headline. Round 4 will now become the first time that the new Hayabusa lineup officially outscored Airspeed in an outdoor round. And Airspeed's lead will officially go back to one single point.

Airspeed is obviously impressed, maybe for the first time really seriously. The situation could have been even more threatening for the reigning 4-way world champions.

Hayabusa lost two points in Round 1 due to video troubles, as videographer Danny Jacobs could not film his team due to his missing equipment. The challenger from Belgium could have been up by one point by now.

Fact is that Hayabusa is closer to Airspeed than ever. Craig Girard had already mentioned last year that he would not be surprised if one of the top contenders would eventually win a meet.

It would not shake the Airspeed world: "We would just come back and win the next one."

However, there are four more rounds to go, and Airspeed is well known for shifting into the right gear at the right time. There are good chances that another round of 4-way competition might be completed today.

The audience has no doubt that Airspeed will pull it out. The first results of the NSL Poll have the 4-way world champions as the winner of the meet, once again. The poll will be open until the last round is coming up.

Dubai Championship
Who will win the 4-way Open Class?	Arizona Airspeed Hayabusa Defence Canada Evolution France Aerodyne Cypres Maubeuge
	Current Results