posted Apr 22nd, 2011 - The upcoming competition in DeLand, the FSL International, features several teams who have recently been absolving their spring training. Two teams from Sweden, including top contender Bardagi, Bodyflight Atlas from Sweden and the German top team Final Four are eager to post some scores and show the results of the training efforts.

The NSL News was looking into archives, which are not in the current database that begins in 2003, to see what happened on the same weekend at the very beginnings of the National Skydiving League. The Florida Skydiving League held its 9th meet of the 1997/1998 season, the first NSL season after launching the FSL test season in the winter of 1996/1997.

Things were different by then, not only the dive pool, as the FSL applied a handicap system and a season long ranking system. The $1,350 jackpot would go to the winner after handicap and according to other specific ranking rules. DeLand Genesis and Sebastian XL were a part of the competition on April 26, 1998. Here is the meet report.

FSL April 26, 1998		R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Total	Average	Score	FSL
Rank	AAA Class	20,12,16	23,13,22	11,19,8	K,L,H,1	4,18,J	P,A,E,G,3	Total	Average	Score	FSL
1	Deland Norgies	13	12	13	19	13	21	91	15.2	91.0	n/a
2	Deland Genesis	10	13	12	21	11	17	93	14.0	84.0	9
Rank	AA Class	20,8	23,1	11,2	K,L,H	4,18	P,A,E	Total	Average	Score	FSL
3	Z-Spot	6	8	9	15	10	11	59	9.8	80.5	8
4	Space Center 98	7	6	8	12	6	7	46	7.7	70.5	7
5	Z-Boyz	9	7	8	6	7	11	48	8.0	68.7	6
6	Club Sam	1	3	2	3	3	1	13	2.2	64.6	5

FSL 1998 - April Meet

The Norwegian national 4-way team Deland Norgies competed again as a guest team at Skydive City. Although they had to use Ken Hansen as an alternate, the world class team won the meet with a 15.2 average. Ken Hansen was training with the team for one week at Skydive Deland prior to the competition.

He was a team member of the Norwegian 4-way team which placed 4th at the World Meet 1995. There are not many teams in the world which have such an alternate available. The Deland Norgies will compete again at FSL season meet 10, May 16-17.

Deland Genesis seems to be unstoppable on their run for the FSL championship trophy this year. The team from Deland won their fourth FSL meet, making it very difficult for the previous leader Sebastian XL to catch up.

Genesis scored a new team record with a 21 in round four. The motivation is as high as can be after a 14.0 performance. "Meet 10 will show the 15.0 on the scoreboard - you have my word", team member Kyle Collins said.

Unfortunately, Sebastian XL had to pass up on this meet and watch Genesis winning nine more league points. Team member Lee Love was grounded after a minor injury right before the FSL meet. As in meet 8, XL could not stop Genesis on their own due to a missing team member.

Team captain Pete Allum was a little bit disappointed because the training leading to this meet had been going so well. "We have been training finally, and we were ready for a good competition", Pete said on the phone when canceling the meet. Hopefully, Lee will recuperate quickly and be ready for the last season meet. There is still a chance...

Z-Spot continues with a solid performance. As Genesis, the team scored a new team record in round four with a 15 in time. Z-Spot had just set a team record at meet 8 with a 12-pointer. The two-couple-team still wants to win another meet and keep the race for the championship interesting. XL will need Z-Spot's help to catch up with Genesis.

Team Space Center 98 seems to settle in front of the Z-Boyz in the FSL ranking. The Z-Boyz - last year's winner - lost the local hero position at Skydive City to Z-Spot who have the higher season average by now (9.4 - 9.0). Will the Z-Boyz fight back?

FSL director Kurt Gaebel was wrong announcing "Deland Genesis" unofficially as the FSL Champion 1998 during the closing ceremony at Skydive City. Gaebel still left a Questionmark behind the championship, waiting for confirmation by numbers in the FSL ranking. This is the current situation:

Since Z-Spot didn't win Meet 9, there are only two teams left who can still win the FSL championship 1998: Deland Genesis (60 league points) and Sebastian XL (58 league points). XL has to win the last meet to collect two more league points and replace the scores of Meet 8 where they won only seven league points.

However, winning the last meet wouldn't be enough if Genesis placed second at the same meet. A second place would give Genesis the chance to replace the scores of Meet 6 where they were only third and won seven league points. With a second place, Genesis' total would be at 61 points and win. This means that XL needs help of other teams to keep Genesis only in 3rd place or lower. Z-Spot and Team Guinness would be happy to help and keep it interesting...

Finally, it's all up to Genesis themselves. They need a first or second place for the championship. A third place and each lower placement at Meet 10 will cause a jumpoff situation between XL and Genesis if XL wins at the same time. Is that exciting enough???

Christopher Irwin served again as the FSL coach for season Meet 9 at Skydive City. This time, his service was sponsored by the Sunshine Factory, which is located right at the dropzone at Skydive City.

The Sunshine Factory has been selling skydiving equipment all over the world since 1984. The current cash jackpot for the FSL 1998 champion is at $,1350. It will be handed out at the big award ceremony after the last meet at Skydive Deland, May 16-17.

FSL Meet 10 of the 1998 season will be the highlight of the season and combine with the next Americas Cup event. The last FSL meet at Skydive Deland (May 16/17) will be the tiebreaker for the championship and the other rankings.

The FSL trophy, the PD Cup, and the prize money for the FSL champion, medals and prizes for all FSL teams will be given at the championship ceremony. At the same time, the 3rd meet of the Americas Cup Tour will be held in cooperation with the FSL.

As in Skydive Sebastian, all FSL teams may participate fully at the Americas Cup meet and automatically qualify for medals, the Omniskore judging system and Arizona Airspeed coaching. This time, the FSL teams will get a special break for the registration fee: $75 for the whole 4-way event (instead of $150 for other teams).

Also, the FSL Intermediate Class teams will get an intermediate draw at the Americas Cup and Omniskore judging. The 4-way event will take place on Saturday. FSL 10 and Americas Cup 3 are ready to host a big show for everybody. Get ready for it.