posted Apr 28th, 2011 - The NSL News goes once again far back into the archives that are not stored in the current database, which begins in May 2003. April 28 was a Sunday in 2002, and the NSL News reported the Florida Skydiving League competition that took place on Saturday, April 27, at Skydive America in Pahokee.

The scoreboard looked different by then, and it also included scores after handicap. The National Skydiving League and SkyVenture Orlando worked closely together by then, and all teams had the opportunity to win free tunnel time on every meet weekend. The scores after handicap produced the winners.

There are still many familiar names in the lineups of 2002 that appear in current NSL News stories. The meet story of 28 April 2002 provides the details of the competition right next to the shore of Lake Okeechobee. NSL-TV will try to follow up with some videos later.

FSL 2002 April Meet		Round1	Round2	Round3	Round4	Round5	Round6	Total	Av.	Score
Rank	AAA Class - Teams	15-Q-K-16	9-M-16	4-J-20	10-H-14	6-11-2	22-7-D	Total	Av.	Score
1	DeLand TBD	10	13	11	9	9	11	63	10.5	120.83
2	DeLand Superfly	10	14	12	10	10	12	68	11.3	119.82
3	Punky Fish	17	19	17	15	15	17	100	16.7	111.28
4	Sebastian XL	19	22	17	17	17	18	110	18.3	110.00
5	Stratosfear	10	13	11	10	11	12	67	11.2	109.66
6	Bionicles	10	12	11	9	11	12	65	10.8	108.73
7	Space Center Teiwaz	11	14	10	10	13	13	71	11.8	104.69
8	Tunnel Vision	10	13	11	11	11	11	67	11.2	104.35
9	Levitators	7	6	6	6	7	8	40	6.7	96.53
Rank	AA Class - Teams	15-Q-K	9-M-19	4-J-20	2-H-14	6-11	22-7	Total	Av.	Score
1	Sebastian 7L	8	11	7	9	9	9	53	8.8	58.07
2	Windline Lightning	10	9	9	10	6	9	53	8.8	53.00
Rank	A Class - Teams	15-Q	9-M	4-J	2-H	6-21	19-7	Total	Av.	Score
1	Pahokee 4-Play	6	8	7	7	8	7	43	7.2	43.00
2	Slow Motion	2	4	4	4	7	6	27	4.5	36.82
Rank	Rookie Class - Teams	E-Q-K	E-M-O	E-J-L	E-H-D	E-F-O	E-L-N	Total	Av.	Score
1	Obsessive Compulsion	7	10	13	12	17	11	70	11.7	70.00
2	TumbleFuqs	1	0	1	0	0	1	3	0.5	4.58

International Field in Pahokee

Skydive America in Pahokee was well prepared for the fourth season meet of the Florida Skydiving League on April 27. However, when 15 teams showed up in the morning, even FSL Director Kurt Gaebel was a little bit surprised. Manifestor Andre "Rocky" Boudrias, ex-videographer of the Canadian national 4-way team, had his hands full to get the teams' paperwork completed in time.

Scotty Carbone had his food truck loaded for extra business at the "Carbone Zone". His expresso machine kept quite busy through the whole day. And he provided the judge and coach with a special delivery service. Fortunately, Skydive America's Superotter was fast enough to handle six rounds for all 15 teams, plus the usual drop zone business with tandems and fun jumpers. The whole meet was completed on Saturday.

Two teams from Denmark (Bionicles and Levitators), one team from Canada (Stratosfear) and competitors from the Netherlands and Norway (Punky Fish) gave the competition in Pahokee an international atmosphere. Sebastian XL, the British national team and top scorer of the league, has already become FSL inventory. The Bionicles and Levitators had been coached by Sebastian XL members prior to the competition at Skydive Sebastian and used the FSL meet for competition practice.

FSL 2002 April Meet		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Total	Av.	Score
Rank	AAA Class - Teams	15-Q-K-16	9-M-16	4-J-20	10-H-14	6-11-2	22-7-D	Total	Av.	Score
1	DeLand TBD	10	13	11	9	9	11	63	10.5	120.83
2	DeLand Superfly	10	14	12	10	10	12	68	11.3	119.82
3	Punky Fish	17	19	17	15	15	17	100	16.7	111.28
4	Sebastian XL	19	22	17	17	17	18	110	18.3	110.00
5	Stratosfear	10	13	11	10	11	12	67	11.2	109.66
6	Bionicles	10	12	11	9	11	12	65	10.8	108.73
7	Space Center Teiwaz	11	14	10	10	13	13	71	11.8	104.69
8	Tunnel Vision	10	13	11	11	11	11	67	11.2	104.35
9	Levitators	7	6	6	6	7	8	40	6.7	96.53

The main competition took place in the AAA Class. A total of nine teams had signed up for this class with the whole dive pool and 5-6 point sequences. The competition draw was the slowest one of the FSL 2002 season, a technical test for the AAA Class teams. Nobody expected to see big numbers on the scoreboard.

In fact, most of the teams posted scored below their season average and the scores of the last meet in DeLand. TBD was the only team that was able to improve their scoring level even at this meet. With the results in Pahokee, TBD kept their meet-by-meet progression through the 2002 season clean (8.8 -9.5 - 10.5). A great performance was rewarded with the first place after handicap and ten free minutes at SkyVenture.

DeLand Superfly came very close to the TDB success. Superfly finished with the same meet average as at the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2002 in March, which had a much faster competition draw. Thus, after handicap Superfly was only 1.01 points away from the first place and the free tunnel time. For a while, Superfly even made Teiwaz' life miserable before handicap.

Space Center Teiwaz showed up in Pahokee with their B line-up, including veterans Rob Larsen, Richard "Rambo" Calledare, Mario Mauro and Kurt Gaebel. This was the second reunion of DeLand VNE who trained and competed together in 1995. This Teiwaz line-up had already attended the second FSL 2002 meet in Lake Wales for a reunion. Teiwaz finished the Pahokee meet with exactly the same meet average of 11.8 as in Lake Wales.

Sebastian XL was lonely at the very top of the AAA Class scoreboard. The technical test ended with a 18.3 meet average as a great result. Actually, XL had a job to do since Punky Fish, with Norgies members Lise Aune and Pal Kolbenstvedt, plus Pal Hofstee and Bert Hajee from the Netherlands, tried to give XL as much competition as their limited training would allow. Punky Fish tied one of XL's highscores in round three and came close in round six.

The AAA Class competition was most exciting between third and eighth place. Before handicap, six teams battled it out for the third place, including the FSL teams Space Center Teiwaz, DeLand Superfly, Tunnel Vision, TBD and the guest teams Bionicles from Denmark and Stratosfear from Canada. Each of these teams had the potential to post the highest score for a round. And the positions changed after each round. Finally, the Teiwaz veterans secured the third place before handicap with great scores in the final two rounds.

All four guest teams commented that the competition was a very valuable test for them. Punky Fish will be back in November for more training and the NSL Championship as their highlight of the 2002 season. Stratosfear is already scoring on a performance level that will put them in serious contention for the Canadian Championship 2002. Another practice meet in the Michigan Skydiving League is still on the team schedule.

As it looks at this point, the Bionicles from Denmark will also be in contention for medals at their national championship in 2002. The Levitators are not at the same scoring level as the Bionicles yet. However, the competition experience will surely help them, as well. In the FSL 2002 rankings, Sebastian XL keeps holding the lead with 36 FSL points. Superfly is currently on second place with 33 points. Teiwaz, TBD and Tunnel Vision follow on the next places. Each team has to attend six out of eight meets to be eligible for FSL medals and prizes. Counting the best two out of four meets, Teiwaz holds the first place with 20 points, followed by XL (19), Superfly and TBD (18) and Tunnel Vision (13).

FSL 2002 April Meet		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Total	Av.	Score
Rank	AA Class - Teams	15-Q-K	9-M-19	4-J-20	2-H-14	6-11	22-7	Total	Av.	Score
1	Sebastian 7L	8	11	7	9	9	9	53	8.8	58.07
2	Windline Lightning	10	9	9	10	6	9	53	8.8	53.00

 

After missing the last meet in DeLand, Windline Lightning was back in the AA Class business in Pahokee. Sebastian 7L had missed the meet in DeLand, as well. It was time for both teams for another showdown duel in this competition class.Before handicap, Windline Lightning has had the upper hand in the first two meets of the season. However, 7L had come very close already at their last confrontation in Lake Wales in February. Windline Lightning had just saved a one-point victory by then.

After missing the last meet in DeLand, Windline Lightning was back in the AA Class business in Pahokee. Sebastian 7L had missed the meet in DeLand, as well. It was time for both teams for another showdown duel in this competition class.Before handicap, Windline Lightning has had the upper hand in the first two meets of the season. However, 7L had come very close already at their last confrontation in Lake Wales in February. Windline Lightning had just saved a one-point victory by then.

FSL 2002 April Meet		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Total	Av.	Score
Rank	A Class - Teams	15-Q	9-M	4-J	2-H	6-21	19-7	Total	Av.	Score
1	Pahokee 4-Play	6	8	7	7	8	7	43	7.2	43.00
2	Slow Motion	2	4	4	4	7	6	27	4.5	36.82

 

The local matadors, Pahokee 4-Play, had to fight it out with Slow Motion in another duel of the A Class competition. Slow Motion had stepped up into this class after competing in the Rookie Class at the second FSL season meet. Even though Slow Motion improved their meet average in Pahokee, they are still too far behind 4-Play in the raw scores. 4-Play had already competed in the A Class in 2001 and posted their best meet average of the 2002 season with 7.2 points.

Since both teams improved their raw scores, the competition would be close after handicap. Slow Motion fell behind in the early rounds. However, in the second half of the competition, Slow Motion picked up the pace and moved closer and closer to 4-Play after handicap. At the end, 4-Play could be glad that Slow Motion had the slow start. The SkyVenture certificate for the free tunnel time stayed in Pahokee. And both teams were happy with their highest scores of the 2002 season.

FSL2002 April Meet		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Total	Av.	Score
Rank	Rookie Class - Teams	E-Q-K	E-M-O	E-J-L	E-H-D	E-F-O	E-L-N	Total	Av.	Score
1	Obsessive Compulsion	7	10	13 (-1)	12	17	11	70	11.7	70.00
2	TumbleFuqs	1	0	1	0	0	1	3	0.5	4.58

Two teams signed up for the Rookie Class, Obsessive Compulsion and TumbleFuQs. Obsessive Compulsion had already competed in the same class at the March meet in DeLand where they posted a 6.8 meet average. They showed up again in Pahokee with an impressive improvement and an 11.7 average after six rounds. This progression put OC in a similar position as Slow Motion ealier this year. The team now considers to step up and join the A Class at the upcoming meets.

Team "TumbleFuQs" usually skydives the new age style in Pahokee. When the Florida Skydiving League visited Pahokee, Andre "oi" Stepsky, Jonny-D Dixon, Al "Spanky" Spina, Omri, alternate Juan "Flying Cow" Forero and team videographer James "Big Jim the Chin" Harvey decided to give their bellies a chance for one day. The TumbleFuQs showed a great combination of serious interest in what event coach Craig Buxton had to offer them for the skydives and a relaxed attitude that kept the vibes up despite the low scores.

The Florida Skydiving League completed another great meet in Pahokee. The 2002 season offers a wide variety of different teams so far. The new NSL competition classes seem to give each team enough challenge and a dive pool that can be mastered according to the team efforts. The FSL now moves back to DeLand for the beginning of the second half of the 2002 season. The fifth season meet is scheduled for May 25.