posted Nov 29th, 2011 - It is difficult for the NSL News to keep up with all the events that provide so much content and footage for stories. The coverage of the USPA Nationals 2011 was far from complete when SkyQuest 2011 required new attention. Then the ISR Grand Prix followed just a week later, and the 3rd Dubai Championship 2011 is coming up in a few days.

The NSL News barely managed to cover the 4way Open Class competition of the USPA Nationals with the videos of all ten rounds before moving on, and there are several other topics in the Open Class that deserve additional attention. Then there are the Advanced Class and Intermediate Class 4way teams who were also responsible to make it an incredible event this year in Eloy.

There is also the 8way competition, which featured world class competition on a level that no other event has to offer. The team in 4th place at the USPA Nationals 2011, Paraclete XP8, scored as high as the bronze medal winner at the World Cup 2011, Russia's national 8way team Sky Panthers Barkli, who were also present in Eloy.

USPA Nationals 2011		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	8way Open	1,16,C	22,F,11	21,15,2	5,P,D,17	8,Q,3	O,M,G,10	9,12,19	A,N,14,J	4,H,20	E,18,B,7	Total	Avg
1	Golden Knights	26 (-2)	23	19	19	21	20	17	23	24	20	212	21.2
2	Sky Panthers Barkli	22	24	16 (-2)	10 (-4)	19	17	15	18	19	17	177	17.7

NSL-TV has put together and uploaded the videos of the first five rounds of the re-match between Golden Knights and Sky Panthers Barkli. Both 8way teams met for the first time at the World Meet 2010 in Menzelinsk where the Golden Knights finished in 2nd place behind Aerodyne Maubeuge from France and 11 points (19.6 - 18.5) ahead of the Russian team.

All three teams competed again at the World Cup this year in Germany where France and USA switched their positions after a dramatic 1-point finish. Russia took the bronze medals once again and scored lower than in 2010, while the Golden Knights continued to increase the team's meet averages, from 18.9 at the USPA Nationals 2009 to 19.6 at the World Meet 2010 and 19.9 at the USPA Nationals 2010.

The 2011 season showed the Golden Knights with the 20.7 average at the World Cup in Germany and the recent 21.2 average at the USPA Nationals for a perfect progression (18.9 - 19.6 - 19.9 - 20.7 - 21.2) over the last three years and since the team was formed.

World Cup 2011		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7	Round 8	Round 9	Total	Avg
Rank	8way Open	7,M,15	8,14,D	5,18,J	B,9,2	Q,K,12,20	21,A,F,10	1,4,E	13,P,H,6	L,19,17	Total	Avg
1	Golden Knights	23	18	18	19	23	21	25	20	19	186	20.7
2	Aerodyne Maubeuge	21	18	19	18	23	19	29	21	17	185	20.6
3	Sky Panthers Barkli	17	15	14 (-2)	17	16 (-3)	15 (-1)	19	19	15 (-2)	147	16.3

The French world champions of 2006, 2008 and 2010 felt the power of the new Golden Knights lineup at the World Cup in Germany and will have to work very hard to defend the title successfully in Dubai 2012. It will be difficult for any 8way team to keep up with the US Army progression, especially since team captain Brian "BK" Krause focuses only on the 8way event. France and Russia both have national 4way competitors in their 8way lineups.

However, Sky Panthers Barkli is on the way up and had several very strong rounds in Eloy. The same lineup changed a few exit positions after the World Cup, which seems to have great results for the Russian 8way team. In fact, the Sky Panthers increased their meet average between World Cup (16.3) and USPA Nationals (17.7) more significantly than the Golden Knights (20.7 - 21.2) at the same meets.

Of course, this is more difficult on a higher scoring level, but it still indicates that Russia is eager to catch up with the currently best 8way team in the world. The French 8way team is planning to catch the Golden Knights next year when the focus in France will be even between 4way and 8way. This year, the 4way training had priority, and the results showed at the World Cup. More French 4way scores will soon follow from Dubai where NMP-PCH Hayabusa is once again challenging Aerodyne Aerokart.