posted Jul 31st, 2010 - It is also time for the first NSL Talk, live from Menzelinsk. The NSL News has set up the camera for upcoming conversations in the middle of the dropzone. This brings some kind of additional live atmosphere to the coverage.

The first guests of the first NSL Talk were Gary Smith and Bert Hajee, coach and alternate of the Dutch national team Dynamic Fource. The conversation began with the logistics and the weather situation.

Gary Smith mentioned that the complaints about the hot temperatures are understandable. However, he reminded the NSL News that the last two world meets in 2006 and 2008 were not completed due to bad weather. The weather in Russia so far almost seems to guarantee the completion of ten rounds.

Live NSL Talk with Gary Smith and Bert Hajee on Saturday morning

The conversation quickly turned to the race for the unofficial amateur title in the 4-way Open Class, where Dynamic Fource seems to be the top contender. Actually, coach Gary Smith sees the German team Paratec-Saar as the strongest amateur team and expects a tough battle with the Germans.

Next topic was the race for the medals in the 4-way Open Class. Gary Smith and Bert Hajee both expect seven teams to be in the mix on the top of the leaderboard, including UK team Satori. There are obviously the three medal winners of 2008 (Arizona Airspeed, Aerodyne Cypres Maubeuge, NMP-PCH Hayabusa) who will decide with their own performances whether any other team will have a chance for medals or not.

Neither Gary Smith nor Bert Hajee could recall any world meet in the past where the competition would be so close and on such a high level. Last not least, they also discussed the possible outcome in the female 4-way category. It sounded as if the three top teams from the United Kingdom (Team Bodyflight), USA (Spaceland Blue) and France (Aerokart Deep Blue) will divide the three sets of medals between each other.