posted Mar 9th, 2011 - The next preview of the Shamrock Showdown 2011 features new arrivals in DeLand, with a few new teams and faces, while the training activities continue.

The delegation from Denmark is complete, with Bodyflight Voluntas and Bodyflight Atlas picking up the training. Atlas, the new B-Team, has to wait until one member recovers from a stomach flu, while Voluntas was working with coach Solly Williams this morning.

Other news came from Russia. Black Cat surprised the NSL News with a registration form that came in by e-mail this morning. The same lineup that competed at the Valentine's Meet 2011 will also attend the Shamrock Showdown 2011. This makes it an international field from nine different countries at the moment (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, USA).

The Deep Blue Defenders have also started their team training. The new French female 4-way lineup was training in Eloy, while Aerodyne Maubeuge battled with the new Arizona Airspeed lineup for the first time this year. Coach Marin Ferre mentioned in Eloy that the team was working on the exits at that time.

The exits were not an issue a few weeks later when Deep Blue Defenders posted a 24.8 average at the Aerokart Indoor Championship 2011. Now the team is back working on the same part of a competition jump in DeLand. Marin Ferre said that the focus is still on exits and subterminal moves.

The German female lineup ISB Air is working with coach Gary Smith and wants to challenge the French team. Marin Ferre knows that he can expect tough competition from the German team and plans to have his own team ready for the challenge.

He also mentioned that new French national coach Jeremie Rollett will visit in a few days. Predecessor Jerome David was also in DeLand last year when his team won the Shamrock Showdown 2010. Marin Ferre was coaching Jeremie Rollett to the victory in DeLand and then at the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2010. Now he is getting his directions from the new national coach.

The NSL News found Marin Ferre when he was skyping with his parents in France, while the Deep Blue Defenders where in the air. The NSL News had introduced the French skydiving family with a story in January 2009:

"Marin Ferre's whole French family, including parents and siblings, have been in the sport and still are. His brother Martial was in the same 4-way lineup with him that won the 4-way gold medals in 1999. Martial Ferré is now coming back with the new French 8-way lineup and aims at an 8-way gold medal in 2010. Marin tried to win 8-way gold in 2003 when the French 4-way lineup competed in both events. There are even more current skydiving relationships in the Ferré family. Marin's and Martial's skydiving sister is married to Damien Sorlin who won 8-way gold medals with France in 2006. Damien Sorlin took a 2-year break and now comes back with the new French 8-way lineup."

Martial Ferre and Damien Sorlin both won the 8-way gold medals for France last year in Menzelinsk, while Marin coached both 4-way lienups to the gold medals. Marin and Martial Ferre's parents must be proud of their two boys and the sun-in-law.

Marin Ferre said that his parents follow the NSL News all the time to be up to date with what is happening in their family's competition world. The NSL News will do the best possible to provide not only the French skydiving community with a comprehensive Shamrock Showdown coverage.

The French Open Class lineup arrived late last night and took it easy this monring. They will begin with training jumps later today. On the other side of the USA, Arizona Airspeed is also training, but on home turf in Eloy. The team is off today and begins with the final preparations tomorrow. Wednesday next week is travel day, casual Airspeed training follows on Thursday.