posted Feb 1st, 2011 - Teams across the skydiving world have begun checking out the modified Block 1 (Snowflake - Snowflake) and the new Block 13 (Offset - Spinner) after the changes of the dive pool were confirmed by the IPC officials.

Two German teams are currently doing this in DeLand, and the NSL News will soon upload videos of the two critical blocks. In fact, the teams are the official German national teams in the 4-way Open and the 4-way Female Class, Paratec-Saar and ISB Air.

The NSL-TV camera followed both teams this morning for a few minutes and captured a few comments from Solly Williams who is the coach at this camp. He has worked with the Open Class lineup for several years and guided them to the unofficial title of the world amateur champion at the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2010. He also fills in for Gary Smith who is usually working with ISB Air.

Coach and team reported that the modified Block 1 (Snowflake - Snowflake) did not cause too much headache. The new Block 13 (Offset - Spinner) requires more attention. There are several options for different techniques, which all need to be tested before a team can decide which one to apply.

Even the top teams do not all apply the same techniques for all blocks all the time. Most teams usually follow the guidance by the top teams and the top coaches who have the time and resources to find out the best techniques. However, it does not always work that easily. Different and sophisticated techniques do not necessarily work for each team the same way.

The new Block 13 allows the center piece to turn either forward or backward. There are also two options how to build the Compressed Accordeon, it can be with right-hand or left-hand grips.

The options are not so flexible for the individual flyers in the Point and Tail slots. Their turning directions for the 540' are indicated and cannot be changed. The original drawing of Block 13 shows that both individual flyesr have to make left-hand turns. This still does not mean that they have to turn left all the time. The actual turning direction depends on how the center piece was built.

It is a left-hand turn for the single flyers if the center piece has a left-hand Compressed Accordeon. It will be a right-hand turn for the single flyers if the center piece has a right-hand Compressed Accordeon.

A different way how to interprete the original drawing correctly suggests the individual flyers always to turn toward the center of the Offset. Hopefully, the new Block 13 will not cause as much confusion for teams and judges as the turning directions of the leaving Hammer - Hammer did at times...

Block 13: Offset - Spinner
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