posted Oct 25th, 2011 - NSL-TV has uploaded a special treat for the 4way fans after digging deep in the archives. Videos of world record sequences in the past have made it to the NSL-TV channel on YouTube, and several NSL News stories have covered indirectly the slowest sequences of any meets.

Those slow sequences usually decide whether the top teams can get to the 20-pointer level for all rounds of a meet, to only 21-pointers and higher, or even to 22-pointers, as Aerodyne Aerokart did it recently for the first time at the World Cup 2011.

The NSL News took a closer look at the record meets, compared the sequences with each other and uploaded as many videos of the slow rounds as were available in the archives. One result of the research is the fact that the ultimately slowest sequence in the dive pool has not been seen yet.

The 20-pointer story began at the Malevsky Cup 2002 where DeLand Majik succeeded with scoring only 20-pointers and higher in a 10-round meet for the first time in history. The NSL-TV video includes two of the slow rounds which were both 3-block sequences (Rd.3: 6,7,2 - 21 points and Rd. 5: 1,12,9 - 20 points). Airspeed Vertical missed the same achievement by one point in Round 5 and due to a penalty in Round 9.

MalevskyMemorial 2002		Rd.1	Rd.2	Rd.3	Rd.4	Rd.5	Rd.6	Rd.7	Rd.8	Rd.9	Rd.10	Total	Av.
Rank	Teams	4-11-F	J-H-20-15	6-7-2	C-O-5-8	1-12-9	B-E-18-10	P-D-K-N-14	M-22-G-3	13-L-21	Q-19-17	Total	Av.
1	DeLand Majik	21	25	21	23	20	22	29	21	24	25	231	23.1
2	Arizona Airspeed	23	22	22	24	19	23	26	22	19 (-2)	21 (-4)	221	22.1

It took several years until the next team arrived at the same level, and then two teams did it at the same time, once again in Russia at the Malevsky Cup 2007. In fact, the new Airspeed Odyssey lineup brought the level up to 21-pointers at this event, while Team Fastrax joined DeLand Majik in the 20-pointer club. Airspeed had to master one 3-point sequence (Rd. 3: 5,10,21 - 21 points) on the way to the new record level.

Malevsky Cup 2007		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	7 M 9	E Q D J K	5 10 21	N O 19 20	B 17 18	P 3 G 4	2 22 A	C 6 8	14 F 16	1 13 H	Total	Avg
1	Airspeed Odyssey	35	41	21	25	25	24	21	23	23	22	260	26.0
2	Fastrax	31	43	20	21	24	22	21	23	21	21	247	24.7

The World Cup 2007 took place at the same location a few weeks later. Airspeed did not attend the second meet in Russia. Neither Hayabusa Defense nor France Maubeuge were able to join the club of 20-pointers or even 21-pointers. Their combined scores for the slow rounds would have made it, even in the two rounds with 3-block sequences. It wasn't good enough for each team alone.

World Cup 2007		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	8 4 9	P 7 13	14 F 1	21 3 6	K N 2 5	L G 20 22	E 19 17	11 B J 15	M 16 O D	12 C Q 10	Total	Avg
1	HayaBusa Defence	19	27	21	20	24	21	24	25	30	19	252	22.9
2	France Maubeuge	21	26	21	19	23	21	24	25	30	20	251	22.8
3	Sky Panthers	23	23	22	19	25	18	21	24	32	22	229	22.9

Airspeed Odyssey and Team Fastrax then both showed Hayabusa and France once again a few monthes later how to do it at the USPA Nationals 2007. Two 3-block sequences (Rd. 6: 19,16,5 and Rd. 9: 7,22,15) were no obstacles for the US teams. Airspeed scored only 21-pointers and higher, while Fastrax repeated the 20-point feast.

USPA Nationals 2007		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	11,6,K	12,E,C,A	18,17,F	4,8,P	M,20,D,9	19,16,5	B,3,O,G	13,H,2	7,22,15	N,21,L,J	Total	Avg
1	Airspeed Odyssey	23	26	26	23	32	24	28	23	21	27	253	25.3
2	Fastrax	22	26	26	22	29	21	27	24	20	27	244	24.4

Next, the two 3-block sequences in Round 4 (18,12,2) and Round 8 (14,20,21) at the World Meet 2008 in Maubeuge were too hard for all teams, including the new 4way world champions from Arizona and the new French 4way lineup on home turf. None of the top teams came even close, and the right-hand door of the Pilatus Porter surely did not make it easier to post high scores.

World Meet 2008		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	B,17,7	H,N,13,A	10,J,C,6	18,12,2	E,3,9	19,O,4	D,M,5,16	14,20,21	Total	Avg
1	Airspeed Odyssey	30	32	24	16	29	21	28	15	195	24.4
2	Maubeuge	28	30	23	17	27	23	28	18	194	24.3
3	HayaBusa Defence	27	33	23	17	27	22	25	17	191	23.9

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The story of the slowest sequences and the highest meet levels will continue with the 2009 season tomorrow. Round 8 at the World Meet 2008 (14,20,21) was probably and arguably the most challenging sequence so far.

Four current top competitors have seen those sequences in 2008. Mathieu Bernier, Guillaume Bernier and Julien Degen competed for France, while Mark Kirkby won his last gold medal with Airspeed in 2008.

Mark Kirkby was also one level higher than his new team mates Thomas Hughes and Niklas Hemlin throughout the 2007 season. Airspeed Odyssey was the only 21-pointer team at this point in time, while Team Fastrax was on the 20-pointer level. The new Airspeed 2011 lineup came back to the 21-pointer level at the Valentine's Meet 2011, which will be a part of the next NSL News story.