posted Jan 7th, 2011 - The NSL News mentioned earlier today that the Russian lineups at the Dubai Championship 2011 will be introduced next. Three teams compete in the 4-way Open Class, one in the 4-way Female Class. The three Russian teams in the Open Class are all lined up behind the medal and money rankings and will not be able to finish as the Sky Panthers did at the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2010. The Russian team in the female category, Illusions, however, seems to be safe in the bronze medal position.

This is not a big surprise after taking a closer look at the lineup. There is a lot of talent and experience in this pickup team. It begins with Elena Chistova who was a member of the Russian national 4-way team Wild Wind at her first World Meet in France 2003. Then she joined the Russian 8-way team Evolution Pro and won a bronze medal for Russia with an 18.6 average at the World Meet 2004 in Croatia. A bronze medal at the World Cup 2005 followed and another 3rd place finish with Evolution Pro at the World Meet 2006 in Germany.

She came back with the Russia 8-way team Crystal Contour at the FAI World Cup 2009 in Prostejov and won the next 8-way bronze medals. She also competed with the Russian 4-way team Contour throughout the 2009 season and with other 4-way teams in the past.

Dubai Championship 2011		Round1	Round2	Round3	Round4	Round5	Round6	Round7	Round8	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Female	P,17,18	M,N,F,3	H,A,6,B	Q,1,C,14	4,10,16	16,O,J,22	K,2,E,11	G,9,8	Total	Avg
1	France Aerodyne Cypres	20	26	-	-	-	-	-	-	46	23.0
2	USA Alpha Armada	17	26	-	-	-	-	-	-	43	21.5
3	Russia Illusions	16	21	-	-	-	-	-	-	37	18.5

Zhanna Kazakova was Elena Chistova's team mate in 8-way at the World Cup 2009. She also trained and competed with Russia's national 4-way team in the female category in 2010, Prygalky, and represented her country in Menzelinsk last year.

Elena Mazaeva was recently covered by the NSL News after she flew the Tail slot for Teiwaz Falcon at the NSL Championship 2010. She used to be a member of the Russian national 4-way team in the female category, the Ladybirds, and won her first bronze medal at the World Meet 2004 in Croatia.

Maria Serova is known as a very talented skydiver in the Russian 4-way community. She started team jumping in 2006. Her last competitive team was Escape in 2008. She trained with different teams in 2009 and 2010, which didn't attend any meets. Andrey Karin is filming the team in Dubai.

The trip of the Russian pickup team to Dubai may be rewarded with more than what the Illusions might have expected. The team in 3rd place will get $10,000 of the $45,000 jackpot for the female 4-way competition.

Illusions will not be able to challenge France and USA in the top spots, however, the 3rd place position seems to be quite safe for the Russian team at the moment. Illusions is also scoring higher than Prygalky at the World Meet in Menzelinsk.

In fact, the meet average after eight rounds could turn out as the highest one for a Russian female team. It will at least become a new personal best average for a few team members, unless serious troubles get in the way. There are six more rounds to go.