posted May 12th, 2010 - The NSL News story on 3 May 2010 reported the scores and some background information of the first outdoor competition in Russia this year, a warmup meet in Kolomna. NSL-TV can follow up now with videos of the Top 3 teams.

Russia is the host of the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2010, and the Top 3 teams of the competition at the beginning of this month, Ocean of Bees, Kaktus Hunter and Gradient Alpha, aka Krystal, are hoping to qualify as the official Russian 4-way team at the national championship in June and then represent Russia in 4-way on home turf.

The two top contenders of the past years, Sky Panthers and Black Cat, did not attend the competition. Three of the Sky Panthers (Vladimir Pavlenko, Oleg Shalamihin, Sergey Shenin) competed in 8-way though, as the NSL News reported on 4 May 2010. Black Cat had already posted the team's first 2010 scores at the Dubai Championship 2010 and at the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2010.

The first winner of the Russian 2010 season, Ocean Bees, competed as Ocean 5 in 2008. Viktor Gorbunkov, Dmitri Komkov, Dmitry Kovalev and Dmitry Samokhval attended three meets that year, with Fyodor Mozgovoy on camera. Ocean 5 placed 4th at the Russian Nationals 2008 with an 18.2 average, followed up with a 19.4 average at the Russian Cup in August and completed the 2008 season with an 18.6 average at the USPA Nationals in Eloy.

This year's lineup, with the new name Ocean Bees, brought back Dmitri Komkov, Dmitry Kovalev and Dmitry Samokhval. Yuri Drozdov is the new Point, Fyodor Mozgovoy is still filming the team. The 19.3 average picks up the pace where the 2008 lineup peaked and won the first place by one single point over Kaktus Hunter.

Kaktus Hunter has been covered by the NSL News regularly ever since the team was founded in 2006. Egor Gusev, Andrei Kharitonov, Katya Kharitonova and Anna PanasyukOksana, with Oksana Klyueva on camera this year, have consistently increased their scoring and performance level, mostly with the help of Arizona Airspeed's Andy Delk.

The scores at the World Challenge events between 2007 and 2010 (16.6 - 22.2 - 23.9 - 25.2) reflect the scoring progression most clearly. The 19.2 average in Kolomna was also the best outdoor average in the team history.

The meet story explained that Kaktus Hunter lost a total of twelve points due to penalties. This is the year when Kaktus Hunter wants to challenge the top teams of the past years. The cleanup session after the outdoor competition is in the works.

Gradient Alpha/Krystal was one of the busiest teams in 2009 and attended a total of six 10-round meets. Vladimir Arutyunov, Andrey Kalugin, Valery Kryshevich and Sergey Yalpaev were in the 2009 lineup, with Andrey Rozov on camera. The meets included the Valentine's Meet, the Shamrock Showdown, the World Cup and the USPA Nationals.

Last year's lineup began with a 13.4 average at the Valentine's Meet and peaked with an 18.0 average at the World Cup 2009 in Prostejov. Gradient Alpha/Krystal also joined forces with the Russian 4-way team Contour at the World Cup and won bronze medals in 8-way.

Former Crossroad member Valentin Ilin has replaced Andrey Kalugin in the 2010 lineup, and Gradient Alpha launched the 2010 season with an 18.7 average, the best meet result in the team's history.