posted Jan 15th, 2010 - It's a wrap in Dubai. Arizona Airspeed posted the 4th sole highscore for a round. The 4-way world champions gave away only one of the eight rounds and tied the highest score in three other rounds. That's more than enough to win a meet, once again.

Hayabusa Defence lost two points in the last round, Airspeed one, due to point deductions in the judging room. France Aerodyne Cypres Maubeuge ended up safely in 3rd place. Canada Evolution had to accept that the French national team with alternate Marin Ferre was still stronger once the team's coach and 4-way world champion of 2003 had warmed up well enough.

The victory in Dubai has a sweet $20,000 reward for Airspeed and extends the winning streak to 21. Airspeed has now won every single competition, indoor and outdoor, ever since the team was founded at the beginning of the 2007 season.

Airspeed also extended the new series of consecutive scores higher than 20 points at outdoor meets to 26 rounds in four meets. The last score below 20 points dates back to March 2009 when Airspeed posted an 18-pointer (2-14-20) at the Shamrock Showdown 2009. The lowest scores ever since were two 20-pointers, the first one at the USPA Nationals 2009 and the second one this week in Dubai.

The whole Airspeed success data could easily sound overwhelming for the other top contenders, and it has been so far. However, and as strange as it may sound, it is becoming more challenging for the reigning world champion at each meet.

The new Hayabusa lineup, after the slot scramble when Waedong So replaced Luc Verstrepen at the end of the 2008 season, is back to the same spot where the team was at the World Meet 2008. Only four points had separated Hayabusa from winner Airspeed after eight rounds by then.

Airspeed added some more distance in 2009, while Hayabusa was working in the new team member. The hard Belgian work to reduce the distance to the top spot has already shown results in Dubai. The 5-point difference after eight rounds brings Hayabusa back into serious striking distance at the beginning of the world meet season.

Airspeed is fully aware of this situation, as Craig Girard's comments from Dubai indicated a few times. He is expecting the Belgian team to challenge Airspeed at any time and possibly even win a meet. France Aerodyne Cypres Maubeuge with the original lineup and Perris Fury are also hunting for the top spot and will be additional challengers.

The upcoming meets of the spring season, Valentine's Meet - FSL Shamrock Showdown - World Challenge, are obviously promising more most exciting 4-way competition.

The Grande Finale in the Canopy Piloting event was disappointing for Thomas Hughes, the overall leader after seven rounds. He had a good second round in the Distance swoop and then missed the entry gate in the final round of the whole event. The zero dropped him back into 5th place in the overall rankings after all was swooped and done. He will still find consolation with the $5,000 that he brings home to DeLand.

4-way world champion of 2006, DeLand Fire videographer Jonathan Tagle, ended up on the top of the overall leaderboard, followed by Marat "Maha" Leiras. Jason Moledzki moved up into the 3rd place. Jonathan Tagle's DeLand Fire team mate of 2006 and Thomas Hughes' Spaceland Force XP team mate of 2009, Shannon Pilcher, won the 3-round Distance swoop and cashed in the $5,000 purse.

Thomas Hughes and Shannon Pilcher are the current owners of the 4-way world record for a single round that they posted at the USPA Nationals 2009. Ian Bobo, Tail of the world record lineup, competed as a canopy pilot in Dubai, as well. He ended up in 7th place of the overall rankings and did not win any money. The prizes for the overall winners have not been defined yet.