posted Nov 5th, 2005 - The NSL News needed more time to move back from Arizona to DeLand than expected. However, the operation gets slowly back to normal pace after a delay of a week. There are still many stories to be covered after the conclusion of the FAI World Cup 2005, and it begins with exciting news for team Airkix from the United Kingdom.

The UK team of IPC's 4-way Women's class was racing with Russia's Ladybirds and Fastrax Select for the bronze medals in Eloy throughout the whole meet. It was an exciting competition between these three teams, and the Ladybirds took the medals at the end.

The Russian team was already four points ahead of Airkix and Fasrax Select going into the last round, and there was still a 2-point advantage for the Ladybirds after the completition of the ten rounds. There did not seem to be an obvious reason for Airkix to celebrate after round ten.

However, there was still a lot of cheering and celebrating in the Airkix area when the team's score of 19 points was posted. There was a good reason for the excitement, the 19-pointer had an approx. $50,000 value for the UK team.

The British Sports Council funds UK teams if they deliver up to the required performance level. The standards for the new funds were set on a high level. Airkix, or any other UK team in the Women's class, had to score at least the same meet average as the team in fourth place at the last World Meet in Croatia 2004.

Italy's team Kewara ended up in 4th position last year with a 15.1 average after ten rounds. Airkix was fully aware of the requirement, and the pressure was on. The $50,000 and 15.1 average were surely on the edge thoughout the whole meet. In fact, Airkix needed a score of 18 points in the last round to finish with a 15.1 average.

Fortunately for Airkix, the last round offered the opportunity to lift the meet average from 14.8 after nine rounds to the jackpot level of 15.1 average. It worked out well for the UK team. Airkix delivered a clean and sharp round and matched Synchronicity's 19-pointer, the second highest score of the round.

The cheering noise in the hangar broke out when the score of 19 points was posted, and the 15.2 average was in the record books. Airkix can now count on the approx. $50,000 support by the British Sports Council for the preparation of next year's World Meet in Germany.

Airkix was probably grateful that two other teams supported the efforts throughout the whole meet in Eloy. Especially Fastrax Select gave Airkix a great competition and made sure that the UK team could always feel the heat coming from behind. Fastrax Select ended up two points behind Airkix in 5th position, and both teams went tied into the last round of the meet.

The Russian Lady Birds did not really plan to look back at the situation behind the medal positions. A strong first half of the competition had put the Lady Birds where they hoped to be - in contention for the first two places. However, round six was the beginning of a weak second half, and the Russian team never recovered. Eventually, Fastrax Select and Airkix came even close enough to challenge the Lady Birds for the bronze medals. This was to the advantage of the UK team, which did not only feel the heat from Fastrax Select. Now there was additional motivation to catch up with the Russian team.

The Airkix 15.2 average and the $50,000 will put even more pressure on the teams that placed ahead of the UK team in Eloy. This amount of money will carry Airkix a good distance and will enable the team to train hard between November 2005 and July 2006. The World Meet 2006 in scheduled for August 5 - 11.

Airkix is currently 1.5 average behind the top teams from the USA and France. The next nine months will give Airkix enough time to close the distance. Will it be enough time? The United Kingdom won the gold medals in IPC's Women's class already once in 2003 when V-Max took the first place in Gap, France, with a 16.5 average. Claire Scott was a member of V-Max in 2003, and she will now have the chance to win the gold medals again with Airkix.