posted Jan 17th, 2011 - The most recent journalistic rollercoaster of the NSL News continues. Today's story goes back to the very top level and the events at the Dubai Championship 2011. Tomorrow the NSL News will report an SDC Rhythm XP training day live from Sebastian, which also leads back to the grassroot level at the same time. Rob Radez offers his free coaching at the next NSL Networking Day this Saturday in Sebastian. An NSL News trip to Paraclete in Raeford follows on Thursday where XP4 is training. The NSL News has a few questions for John Eagle after coming back from Dubai...

The NSL News got a hold of Arizona Airspeed's Mark Kirkby after Round 8 was completed in Dubai. He was on his way to torture himself once again with a long distance run. It was not a 100-mile challenge this time, as the NSL News reported his last one on 7 November 2009 (Archives > 2009 > News > Seach for "100-mile"). He was only preparing for a 50-mile distance last weekend. And by the way: Marathon is a 26 mile-run...

The NSL News talked to Mark Kirkby while he was boarding the plane, and the flight assistant was interfering quite a few times with irrelevant announcements. Who cares about listening to safety procedures if you have an Airspeed member aboard?

Airspeed obviously took a break from training over the weekend. The new lineup will continue now, and the Dubai competition draw is scheduled for Wednesday. Mark Kirkby was impressed with the results:

"It is quite amazing how far the teams with their new lineups are only a few months after the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2010."

He had seen only the Airspeed competition jumps by then and not much of the other two top contenders, Aerodyne Aerokart and NMP-PCH Hayabusa. It was easy for Mark Kirkby to see that the former Airspeed lineup with John Eagle in his Tail slot did not have enough training to keep up all the way. However, it was almost a surprise that Airspeed was actually so close to the top spot.

Mark Kirkby said that he is fully aware of the upcoming challenges.

He does not expect any of the top teams to pull away from the field significantly at any time in the near future. It will most likely always be a battle at each meet.

Training methods, techniques, talent and efforts are so similar that the times where a team could break away with a new recipe seem to be gone. Meet psychology, experiences and form on a given day have become more important than ever.

The next outdoor competition, the Shamrock Showdown 2011, will bring together the three top contenders of the next two years with their current lineups. It will be even more exciting than in Dubai.

The new Airspeed lineup will take on the winner in Dubai, NMP-PCH Hayabusa, and the new French Aerodyne Aerokart lineup, which will be eager to take back the top position in the world. The new Airspeed lineup has to show that it will pick up the pace at least where the former lineup left. DeLand will see a real preview of the World Cup 2011 and the World Meet 2012.

The competition will be even tougher for the visitors at the Shamrock Showdown since the other US top contenders will also be competing in DeLand. Perris Fury, Paraclete XP4 and Golden Knights will put additional pressure on France and Belgium and challenge the new Airspeed lineup for the first time.

All the US top teams will have completed their first 2011 competition before the Shamrock Showdown comes up in March. The Paraclete XP Indoor Skydiving Championships 2011 will be the first real test for the best US 4-way teams. Belgium and France will know after the Paraclete indoor meet what to expect from the new Airspeed lineup under pressure. Training scores and videos from Arizona will probably be available earlier.

Shamrock Showdown 2011
Who is winning this year?	France Aerodyne Aerokart Arizona Airspeed NMP-PCH Hayabusa Perris Fury Paraclete XP4 Golden Knights Others
	Current Results