posted Jul 8th, 2010 - The NSL News story on 28 June 2010 brought back to mind the situation of the Canadian national 4-way team Evolution. The LeMay family team is getting ready to compete at the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2010 and post the team's best meet average ever.

The 23.2 average after the five rounds at the Midway Battle, which would most likely still stand after all ten rounds, is the highest average that the Canadian team has ever posted. The 23.0 average after five rounds at the World Games 2009 came the closest, but the draw included a fast round with only Random Formations where Evolution posted a 38-pointer.

The 21.9 average at the World Meet 2008 in Maubeuge, France, came after eight rounds, and Evolution finished in 6th place. Tail Benoit LeMay was 17 years of age at that time...

June 12th, 2010		Round1	Round2	Round3	Round4	Round5	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	B,9,21	J,P,E,10	G,M,7,L	4,Q,14	22,6,19	Total	Avg
1	France Aerodyne Cypres Maubeuge	28	31	35	22	20	136	27.2
2	USA Arizona Airspeed	29	28 (-1)	33	23	19	132	26.4
3	Canada Evolution	24	26 (-2)	30	20 (-1)	17 (-1)	117	23.4

The Road to Russia

The scores at the Midway Battle were a preview of the upcoming World Meet. It will be the third time that Michel, Martin and Vincent LeMay represent Canada. They also competed at the World Meet 2006 in Germany.

Benoit LeMay had his first World meet experience in 2008 and will be 19 years of age going into the second one. That has never happened before in Formation Skydiving history, as the whole LeMay family 4-way affair is unique. Father Michel LeMay will be the oldest 4-way competitor at the same time.

Evolution outscored the Arizona Airspeed world champions in two of the eight rounds at the World Meet 2008 on the way to the 21.9 average. The Canadians were not able to steal a round at the Midway Battle, however, the scores before penalties show that Evolution was closer than the final leaderboard shows.

Canada Evolution at Skydive Chicago's Midway Battle 2010

Two penalties in Round 2 kept Evolution from getting real close to Airspeed. Another penalty in Round 5 had the same result. Evolution was dangerously close to Perris Fury, before and after penalties, and the Canadian team is not shy of looking at the 4-way world champions from Arizona as a target at the upcoming World Meet in Menzelinsk, Russia.

The LeMay family has set an intense training schedule for the final preparations before the trip to Russia. The scores at the Midway Battle may only be a warmup for the underdog. Coach Shannon Pilcher will supervise the last training week at the team's home DZs, NouvelAir and Parachute Montreal, and then travel with Evolution to Russia. The team has never jumped from a LET yet, the jump plane in Russia, and will add a few days of training in Menzelinsk.

The NSL News recently visited the LeMay family in Canada and will follow up with a comprehensive report, including a live NSL Talk with all team members.