posted Jul 22nd, 2011 - The NSL News story on 19 July 2011 brought up a topic that has recently stirred up the 4-way community in the USA. USPA had decided in the last board meeting that Perris Fury and SDC Rhythm XP are the sanctioned Open Class teams to go to the 3rd Dubai Cup in November this year. Arizona Airspeed is not eligible according to the USPA Competition Manual.

It was not a big surprise that the poll results after the NSL News story reflected a very different opinion of the audience. The comments to the story and the poll expressed the different perspectives, and some visitors of the topic's forum were even outraged. USPA has been aware of the troublesome situation, as the most recent USPA Newsletter explained the situation, as well. The specific paragraph in the newsletter confirmed that Airspeed only has a chance if "last-minute slots open". Then the results of the USPA Nationals 2011 will be used where Airspeed will most likely be on the top of the leaderboard. Poll and Forum are still open.

Headquarters has received several inquiries about how the Competition Committee selected teams for the upcoming Dubai Cup. To summarize, the Skydiver’s Competition Manual states, “The meet from which the results will be used to select the team must be held at least 60 days prior to the World Championships (or FAI event) at which the team will compete.” With the Dubai meet less than a month after the 2011 USPA Nationals, the committee was forced to use results from the 2010 Nationals to select qualified teams and individuals (click here). If any last-minute slots open, the committee decided that results from the 2011 Nationals will be used to fill the team.

Another US 4-way team is currently on the top of the biggest NSL leaderboard of the 2011 season. A total of 78 teams are listed, and the 25 additional French 4-way teams in the intermediate category are not even included. This means that over 100 teams competed last weekend, and Paraclete XP4 is on the very top as the winner of the AAA Class competition.

This alone should be reason enough to honor XP4 with the title of the TEAM OF THE WEEKEND. However, it is also a fact that the US top contender increased its scoring level from 19.9 at the Shamrock Showdown 2011 to 22.0 last weekend after the 6-round competition of the Carolina Skydiving League in Raeford. There might be a chance that Airspeed could get some serious competition at the USPA Nationals this year...

It is also remarkable how the team in 2nd place of the AAA Class leaderboard, SonicNutz, went from 15.2 at the Shamrock Showdown to 19.0 last weekend. The British top team almost matched its own indoor average at the World Challenge 2011 (19.9) which included the fast sequence of only random formations in Bedford. SonicNutz may be ready to compete for the unofficial amateur title at the upcoming World Cup 2011.

Kaizen is also performing on a completely different level compared to the 2010 season and beat last year's (16.2) indoor average. Carolina Turbo XP has a new lineup, which is scoring higher (15.8) than last year's winner of the Advanced Class competition (14.5) at the USPA Nationals 2010. The new Bodyflight Aerodyne lineup scored very well in the first two rounds and will probably show more of that soon in Germany.

UK team Eclipse keeps moving forward meet by meet (9.8 - 10.4 - 13.7) in the AA Class and deserves attention. The 13.7 average beats the indoor results at the beginning of April. Gr4ity is almost exactly in step with Eclipse. Northern Plains Skydiving League team HTH kept up with the UK teams in the AA Class and scores significantly higher than last year where 10.5 was the highest meet average. The 14-pointer in Round 3 is a new highscore for a single round. Kryos Airkix posted two new 12-pointer highscores, as well.

UK team Raykipo shows the same UK progression in the A Class (7.7 - 9.0 - 11.7) and finished in the top spot. Both Enigma lineups scored higher than at the earlier meets. Finally, it's a good thing that We Don't Care ended up at the very bottom of the overall leaderboard...

Many teams deserve special credit after last weekend's meets. However, for once the title of the TEAM OF THE WEEKEND shall go to the one on the very top of the leaderboard, Paraclete XP4.