posted Aug 22nd, 2006 - The 2006 season was a good one for the British team Perris Airkix, and the last two weeks turned a good season into a dream season. The NSL News had mentioned in earlier stories that Airkix was expected to possibly offer the French Women's team at least a little bit competition for the world championship title in the female category.

Things turned out differently at the World Meet 2006 in Germany. It took Julia Foxwell, Emma Beyer, Amanda Kemp, Claire Scott and Andy Wright (camera) only two rounds to threaten France enough and then pull away round by round. Eventually, Airkix won the meet by six points after five rounds.

The 19.0 average has lifted the performance level of all-female teams to a new level, compared to the previous world meets. Actually, the British team posted the scoring average that the French national coach Jerome David had hoped to see on the scoreboard for his own team at the world meet.

The NSL News featured already the award ceremony in the 4-way Open Class earlier on NSL-TV. The award ceremony of the female competition can now be viewed by clicking here. It includes the presentation of the new trophy for the ladies, sponsored by IPC Vice President and Meet Director in Germany, Dr. Rainer "Exi" Hoenle.

The competition at the world meet was not the end of the season for Perris Airkix. A quick look at the current leaderboard of last weekend's events shows the same team name again on the very top in the AAA Class competition. However, this time it was not a first place in a female category event. Perris Airkix won the British Nationals 2006 in the Open Class.

This year's national team of the Open Class at the World Meet 2006, the British Army team with Aaron Faith, Andy Goodall, Dane Kenny, Al Macartney, David Tyler and Spencer Hogg (camera), knew that the national championship this year would bring a very difficult situation for the defending champion.

In fact, it was already quite obvious that the four boys would not be able to fend off the attack of the four girls. The scores at the world meet in Germany spoke an own and clear language. Both teams did not end up on the same scoreboard in Gera, but the cross reference already allowed a serious forecast.

Teams in the 4-way Open Class and the female category followed identical competition draws and performed exactly the same sequences. Airkix won each of the five rounds by at least two points over the British Army team in Germany. Realistically, the "DeLand Brits" had not even a chance when the British Nationals began last week.

The result after ten rounds in Great Britain last week was a copy of the outcome at the world meet. Perris Airkix was 2.1 points average ahead of the British Army team and did not even let any other team get close. It was the first time in the British history of Formation Skydiving competition that an all-female team became the Open Class champion.

It was the second time that any all-female team won the national championship in an Open Class competition. Only team Zooey from Finland managed to beat all other teams in Finland at the national championship a few years ago.

It was not the first time that a British world champion team in the female category stood against a British Open Class team. V-Max already won the Mondial 2003 in France. However, the British Open Class team in 2003, Sebastian XL, was much too strong for the British 2003 ladies to have a serious competition.

Claire "Sparky" Scott was a V-Max member in 2003 and won the Women's world championship title the second time in Germany two weeks ago with Perris Airkix. But it is the first time for her to win the British national championship in the Open Class.

What will be next for Perris Airkix? The Finish team Zooey signed up for the competition in the female category at the World Meet 2003 in France after winning the Open Class competition at home. Airkix could become the first all-female team to respresent a nation in the Open Class competition of a World Championship of Formation Skydiving.

It depends on the Airkix plans for the future. The British Nationals 2006 was not the qualification event for the next world meet. Airkix is the official national team for 2007. However, the qualification for the next World Meet 2008 will take place next year, and there is no guarantee that Airkix will be able to dominate the 4-way competition in Great Britain in 2007 as the team did this year.

The team has obviously the potential to continue with the impressive progression of 2005/2006. There is no reason why the current team members would not be able to move up to the scoring and performance level that Open Class world champion Natasha Montgomery, bronze medalist Arianna de Benedetti and Norway's Ditta Valsdottir have already arrived at.

Natasha Montgomery is the first female 4-way Open Class world champion in the history of Formation Skydiving competition. Perris Airkix has the opportunity to pursue the Open Class medals and championship with an all-female line-up. The NSL News will try to follow up with information of Airkix team plans as soon as possible.