posted Sep 17th, 2010 - The combination of an update from Belgium and yesterday's headline caused the NSL News to research once again the time period of Arizona Airspeed's 4-year team history with the lineup at the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2010 and at the USPA Nationals 2010. By the way: Airspeed has added the 10-way gold medals to this year's collection, as well.

Yesterday's story pointed out that only one team, Aerodyne Cypres Maubeuge, ever defeated this Airspeed lineup at an outdoor competition, and it happened only once at the World Meet 2010 in Menzelinsk. The new 4-way world champions from France were also defeated by only three teams in the whole 4-year period, and one of them was Airspeed, of course.

Russia's Sky Panthers surprised the 4-way world with a 2nd place after the five rounds of the World Games 2009 in Taiwan. Airspeed won in an unusual meet environment, and the Sky Panthers defeated the Aerodyne Cypres Maubeuge lineup.

World Games 2009		Round1	Round2	Round3	Round4	Round5	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	19,7,14	G,9,3	4,O,2	8,C,P,10	M,K,D,H,B	Total	Avg
1	USA Arizona Airspeed	22	29	23	23	44	141	28.2
2	Russia Sky Panthers	20	27	20	19	39	125	25.0
3	France Aerodyne Cypres Maubeuge	18	24	20	22	37	121	24.2
4	Belgium HayaBusa Defence	22	21	16	19	41	119	23.8
5	Canada Evolution	19	21	18	19	38	115	23.0
6	Norway Arcteryx	14	24	19	17	35	109	21.8

Other than Airspeed and the Sky Panthers there was only one team that ever defeated the new 4-way world champions from France. NMP-PCH Hayabusa did it two times, once at the World Cup 2007 after a dramatic jump-off showdown and then again at the World Challenge 2009. It actually happened a 3rd time at the Dubai Championship 2010, but France competed with alternate Marin Ferre and had no chance to keep up with Hayabusa's trained lineup.

World Cup 2007		Round1	Round2	Round3	Round4	Round5	Round6	Round7	Round8	Round9	Round10	Round11	Total	Avg
Rank	Open Class	84 9	P7 13	14F 1	213 6	KN 2 5	LG 20 22	E19 17	11B J 15	M16 O D	12C Q 10	HA 18 5	Total	Avg
1	Belgium	19	27	21	20	24	21	24	25	30	19	22	252	22.9
2	France	21	26	21	19	23	21	24	25	30	20	21	251	22.8
3	Russia	23	23	22	19	25	18	21	24	32	22	-	229	22.9

The Hayabusa lineup was the same for the 2-year period between 2007 and 2008. Luc Verstrepen was the Center Inside, David Grauwels (Center Outside), Andy Grauwels (Point), and Roy Janssen (Tail) were still the original Hayabusa members.

Luc Verstrepen had taken the Center Inside slot from original member Sven Ibens who had left the team after the World Meet 2006. Hayabusa had broken the 20-point average and placed 6th in Germany.

Hayabusa could not repeat the World Cup success of 2007 and finished in bronze medal position behind France at the World Meet 2008.

World Meet 2008		Round1	Round2	Round3	Round4	Round5	Round6	Round7	Round8	Total	Avg
Rank	Open Class	B,17,7	H,N,13,A	10,J,C,6	18,12,2	E,3,9	19,O,4	D,M,5,16	14,20,21	Total	Avg
1	USA	30	32	24	16	29	21	28	15	195	24.4
2	France	28	30	23	17	27	23	28	18	194	24.3
3	Belgium	27	33	23	17	27	22	25	17	191	23.9
4	Russia	28	30	22	16	28	20	27	17	188	23.5

Hayabusa then had a personnel change at the end of the 2008 season, which caused a complete makeover.

Luc Verstrepen stepped back, and Waedong So took the Point slot. All three original members had to learn and train new slots (David Grauwels - Center Inside, Andy Grauwels - Center Outside, Roy Janssen - Tail). Only Hayabusa videographer Danny Jacobs continued to film from the same position.

It did not seem to hold back the progression of the Belgian national 4-way team. In fact, the new Hayabusa lineup had one of the best showings ever at the World Challenge 2009 and defeated Aerodyne Cypres Maubeuge for the second time, this time at an indoor competition where France competed with the same lineup of 2007 and 2008.

World Challenge 2009		Round1	Round2	Round3	Round4	Round5	Round6	Round7	Round8	Round9	Round10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	17,10,4	19,Q,8	G,7,D,9	A,C,E,H,K	14,M,J,3	N,16,6	20,F,12	15,21,L	13,22,18	11,2,B	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	23	26	36	53	29	27	24	24	21	25	288	28.8
2	Perris Fury	22	20	38	59	22	26	21	24	22	23	277	27.7
3	HayaBusa Defence	22	25	32	56	25	25	21	25	21	23	275	27.5
4	XL	21	24	35	51	25	25	23	25	20	24	273	27.3
5	Aerodyne Cypres Maubeuge	22	26	34	44	26	25	22	24	22	23	268	26.8

However, the success at Bodyflight Bedford did not hold until the most important outdoor competition of the 2009 season. Aerodyne Cypres Maubeuge was too strong in Prostejov, and Hayabusa had to accept the silver medal position.

The distance between Aerodyne Cypres Maubeuge and NMP-PCH Hayabusa was still the same at the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2010, which was the last test before the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2010.

Meanwhile, the Belgian team had replaced alternate Luc Verstrepen with young Dennis Praet who traveled with the team to the CISM Championship and then to the World Meet in Menzelinsk, Russia. It was clear by then that Waedong So would leave Hayabusa at the end of the 2010 season and that Dennis Praet would actually become an active member in the Point slot.

NMP-PCH Hayabusa at the World Meet 2010 in Menzelinsk

The new 2-year plan has now begun for NMP-PCH Hayabusa, and the team becomes even younger. This time, however, the three original members continue in their slots of 2009 and 2010. Dennis "Bambi" Praet is the new Point.

Roy Janssen reported from Belgium that his team had a 3-week vacation after the World Meet in Menzelinsk before the first training camp with the new lineup. Center Inside David Grauwels could still not jump for health reasons, as he needed a rest for his troubled neck and back. This meant that the new alternate, Jeroen "Bob" Nollet would have his oppurtunity to join the Hayabusa lineup, as well.

Roy Janssen said that his team was very pleased with the results of the camp: "He will now get the official slot as the Hayabusa Alternate, as he is also in military service."

Hayabusa's team speaker also provided some background information of the two new members. Dennis "Bambi" Praet started skydiving in 2005 and has a total of approx. 1,000 jumps. Jeroen "Bob" Nollet started in 2006 and has approx. 1,400 jumps. Both new members have done many 2-on-2 coaching jumps with the original Hayabusa members, and Roy Janssen explained the situation:

"We already had a good idea what they are capable of. It is always a little bit different with a new member, but we are confident that with time, they will be very good competitors." NMP-PCH Hayabusa has two years to get the new Point and the new Alternate ready for the next pursuit of IPC medals. The USA and France are in the same situation.

Hayabusa has scheduled one 11-day training camp and another 7-day camp this year. David Grauwels will probably be back in business by then. Wind tunnel training will follow by the end of the year. Several competitions are on the Hayabusa agenda for the 2011 season, including the Dubai Championship, Aerokart Challenge, Shamrock Showdown, World Challenge, CISM Championship, World Cup and Belgian Nationals. New young point Dennis "Bambi" Praet will be a seasoned competitor by the end of the 2011 season...