posted Feb 25th, 2011 - The German 4-way team Final Four is in DeLand for a week of winter training with coach Solly "The Schleifer" Williams. The training on Thursday happened to be over before space shuttle Discovery was launched for its last flight. Final Four decided to make another jump at the end of the day to watch the shuttle launch in freefall.

On the same day, World Team leader BJ Worth came to DeLand to prepare for the 3-day weekend of 60-ways, which is a part of his plan for the new 500-way world record attempt. He traveled to Cape Canaveral on Thursday and filmed the shuttle launch live from close range.

The NSL News received footage from Final Four videographer Andi Troegele as well as from BJ Worth and used it for the NSL-TV clip, which has been uploaded and is ready for reviews.

The video clip also includes a new round of NSL Talk with the German team after the shuttle launch experience. Final Four has a new team member, Petra Baerenfaenger, who used to train and compete with the all-female Chicas lineup for many years.

Petra Baerenfaenger had placed 6th (16.0) with the Chicas after six rounds at the World Meet 2008 in France and then won the silver medals at the World Cup 2009 in Prostejov, Chech Republic, with a 16.3 average, two points ahead of the second German team, Incognito Leutkirch.

The Chicas did not continue in 2010, while Incognito Leutkirch turned into ISB Air and took over the #1 position of female 4-way competition in Germany with a former Chicas member, Susa Serra. ISB Air competed for Germany at the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2010.

World Cup 2009		Round1	Round2	Round3	Round4	Round5	Round6	Round7	Round8	Round9	Round10	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Women	8,19,A	7,L,12	10,14,9	22,N,J,G	C,6,5	D,O,4,Q	15,13,18	21,2,20	1,H,17	3,B,M,K	Total	Avg
1	Aerokart Deep Blue Maubeuge	19	19	19	21	22	25	15	16	21	27	204	20.4
2	Chicas	16	16	15	16	15	20	13	15	16	21	163	16.3
3	Incognito Leutkirch	16	15	14	16	12	22	13	14	17	22	161	16.1

Final Four needed a new team member when Henning Stumpp, Petra Baerenfaenger's husband and Vice President of the German skydiving federation, could not continue with the team in 2010. X-Ray Remscheid member Uli Sehrbrock filled the slot for the year and helped Final Four to a 16.1 average and the 2nd place at the German Cup 2010.

Uli Sehrbrock did not continue with Final Four this year, and Petra Baerenfaenger has now taken the slot that her husband Henning Stumpp used to fly. She is the new Center Outside for Final Four.

Final Four has a very busy training camp and completed over 70 jumps by now. The team has scheduled another 2-week camp for April in DeLand. The shuttle jump came at the end of the next training day after a day off.

German Cup 2010		Round1	Round2	Round3	Round4	Round5	Round6	Round7	Round8	Round9	Round10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	C,4,F,10	H,P,3,17	O,A,22,J	E,15,8	2,20,18	G,Q,12,21	13,5,L	N,1,14	B,M,6,D	K,16,7	Total	Avg
1	Chiceads	17	19	19	14	13	15	16	15	21	16	165	16.5
2	Final Four Remscheid	16	19	15	15	13	15	14	13	23	18	161	16.1
3	ISB Air	17	17	19	14	13	17	15	13	15	16	156	15.6

The competition in Germany will be much tougher this year compared to the German Cup 2010. The national championships follow the World Cup 2011 in Saarlouis, and the best German 4-way teams will be there this time, including the national team and unofficial amateur world champion, Paratec-Saar.

The German 8-way team EADS will also have a strong 4-way lineup, and even the Paratec-Saar members have a lot of respect for the new ISB Air lineup. They consider the all-female lineup as serious competition for the top spot.

ISB Air will compete at the Shamrock Showdown 2011, and the German top teams, including Final Four, will watch the videos and scores very carefully. Final Four has a few more days of training before returning to the German winter weather.