posted Mar 10th, 2010 - Correction!!!

The whole Kirk Verner profile below was very interesting, and there was nothing really wrong with it - except a minor detail: it is not Kirk Verner who fills in for Mike LaRoche, it is Kurt Isenbarger. More later...

Another personnel change for the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2010 was recently reported by Golden Knights team captain Brian "BK" Krause.

He said that 8-way team member Mike LaRoche will not be able to compete for the Golden Knights next weekend. He and his wife just had a baby girl. Grace LaRoche was born prematurely with a weight of 2lbs and 2oz. New father Mike LaRoche decided to spend the time with his family, and the decision was fully supported by his team.

Mike LaRoche is a member of the Golden Knights lineup that won the silver medals at the USPA Nationals 2009 and is now the US national 8-way team for the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2010 in Russia. The Golden Knights will compete with Paraclete XP and Dallas Rogue in 8-way at the Shamrock Showdown as a part of the team's preparations for this year's world meet.

Brian Krause was looking for a substitute for the Shamrock Showdown and could not have found a better one. Kirk Verner, with multiple 4-way and 8-way world championship titles under his belt, will fill the slot for Mike LaRoche next weekend in DeLand.

He was planning to be in DeLand anyway, as he was actually supposed to give the Golden Knights a hard time with the Paraclete XP 8-way lineup. The Golden Knights were looking for a tough competition, and Kirk Verner had called the Paraclete XP 8-way lineup back into action. He is also competing with his new Paraclete XP4 lineup.

Kirk Verner is now switching sides, and Todd Hawkins is on his way to DeLand to replace Kirk Verner in Paraclete's 8-way lineup.

Brian Krause had already mentioned earlier that Kirk Verner had helped the Golden Knights 8-way team a lot last year on the team's way to the 18.9 average at the USPA Nationals 2009. Kirk Verner knows the Golden Knights 8-way style better than anybody else.

Brian Krause and Kirk Verner also competed together in 4-way when GKXP attended the World Challenge 2009. The other two GKXP members, Andy Honigbaum and Matt Davidson, will also compete at the Shamrock Showdown, Matt Davidson with Kirk Verner in the Golden Knights 8-way lineup, Andy Honigbaum with Kirk Verner in 4-way and against him now in 8-way.

The Shamrock Showdown will be Kirk Verner's first outdoor competition after his shoulder surgery last year. The USPA Nationals 2008 was the last outdoor competition for him. He still trained and competed in the wind tunnel last year, first at the World Challenge in Bedford and then at the Paraclete XP Money Meet in June. However, eventually his shoulder problems forced him to stay on the ground at the USPA Nationals 2009.

Kirk Verner is fully recovered now, and he is ready for outdoor action after a lot of tunnel time, especially with his new XP4 lineup (Kirk Verner, John Eagle, John D'Annunzio, Andy Honigbaum). The upcoming 8-way competition with the Golden Knights is still just as important for him, as it will be the only meet practice for the US national team this year.

Golden Knights and Paraclete XP already battled with each other in 8-way last year. Both teams attended the first 8-way indoor competition at the Paraclete XP Money Meet 2009.

Tim D'Annunzio, Kirk Verner and Gary Beyer were in the lineup by then. Kirk Verner and Gary Beyer were both on the bench later at the USPA Nationals due to their shoulder problems, Tim D'Annunzio stepped back for the championship. Shannon Pilcher, John Eagle and Brian Johnson filled the 8-way slots.

The Paraclete XP 8-way lineup of June 2009 with Kirk Verner won the indoor competition (24.9 - 23.7) against the Golden Knights. The US Army team then defeated the Paraclete 8-way lineup without Kirk Verner at the USPA Nationals 2009 by two points (18.9 - 18.7) and was sanctioned as the US national team when 8-way winner Arizona Airspeed decided to compete only in 4-way at the World Meet 2010 in Russia.

Kirk Verner has been on the winning 8-way teams last year, and he is competing for the Golden Knights at the Shamrock Showdown. There is not much doubt that the US Army team will win the 8-way competition in DeLand, with or without Kirk Verner.

The questionmark is more behind the US national 8-way team's first meet average of the 2010 season and how much competition Paraclete XP and Dallas Rogue can offer. The other questionmark is behind the XP4 performance at the Shamrock. Kirk Verner has a busy agenda at his first outdoor competition after the USPA Nationals 2008.