posted Mar 23rd, 2010 - The NSL News used the opportunity of an early 4-way finish at the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2010 to spend some time with the French national 4-way team in the female category, Aerokart Deep Blue. The NSL Talk with the team on Sunday morning took place after a few additional training jumps.

The Deep Blue members said that they like to train, and they use any opportunity to get in the air. The weather was good enough to jump on Sunday morning, while the 8-way teams completed more competition rounds.

Previews of the event had already mentioned a few times that the Shamrock Showdown 2010 would also feature the first direct competition between Deep Blue and the US national team of 2010, Spaceland Blue. The French team competes again at the World Challenge 2010. However, the Shamrock Showdown was probably the first and the last time before the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2010 that both teams will attend the same meet.

Spaceland Blue, with three of the current members and Perris Fury's Christy Frikken, defeated the same French Deep Blue lineup at the World Meet 2008 in France. That was a year and a half ago, and things have obviously changed.

The French team continued with the same lineup in 2009 and won the World Cup 2009 in the Czech Republic after an impressive performance with a 20.4 average. No female 4-way team had ever reached the 20-point level in a 10-round meet until then.

Bodyflight Storm had posted a 20.0 average to win the World Meet 2008 in France. However, it was only a 6-round meet in Maubeuge. Fastrax Blue, with Kelley Fredrickson and the original Blue lineup of 2008, had also posted a 20.0 average after six rounds at the Shamrock Showdown 2008, which included a 31-pointer for a pure random sequence in Round 6.

Kelley Fredrickson died later that year, and Christy Frikken filled her slot at the World Meet 2008. Bodyflight Storm and Fastrax Blue eventually ended up separated by only one single point. Deep Blue finished in 3rd place on French home turf.

The situation has changed now. Bodyflight Storm has a new name and a new lineup. Team Bodyflight has just begun training this year.

Spaceland Blue needed Sally Hathaway last year to fill Becky Brocato's slot. The Blue Tail is now back with the team, and the Shamrock Showdown was the first competition for this lineup. Deep Blue has been training with the same lineup while the two other top contenders were improvising.

The 20.1 average at the Shamrock Showdown confirms that the French team has left the 20-point benchmark behind. The competition draw of the Shamrock Showdown was slower compared to the World Cup 2009, as competitors said who competed at both events.

The Deep Blue members are confident about their performance and scoring level. They are not looking back. Their goal is to get to the 21-point average as soon as possible, and it doesn't seem to be too far away.

However, there is another challenge coming up very soon. The World Challenge 2010 will show how far the strong female 4-way competitors from the United Kingdom are at this point in time. Deep Blue already posted a 26.8 indoor average at the Aerokart Indoor Championship in February. It will be a very exciting situation at Bodyflight Bedford.