posted Oct 22nd, 2006 - The first round is already complete, and the AAA Class field has already larger cracks than expected so early. DeLand Groove, with the three former DeLand Fire members (Shannon Pilcher, Ian Bobo, Gary Smith) and Solly Williams in the point position and hardly any training together, started into the competition with a big bang and the first highscore (20).

Both Airspeed line-ups (17 - 15) did not even get close, and Black Cat did not have a very exciting start, as well. Fastrax had the best start into a top competition in the team career and is only one point behind the leader. The Golden Knights are just as strong as the NSL News expected it in the story on October 17.

The USPA Nationals 2006 also features an unexpected competition between the two best all-female teams in the country. Synchronicity won the qualification for the World Meet 2006 at the USPA Nationals 2005 but decided not to travel to Germany. Instead the team signed up for the Malevsky Cup 2006.

Elsinore Select was sanctioned as the US national team for the World Meet 2006 and placed 4th in Germany with a 14.6 meet average after the five rounds. Synchronicity competed in Russia right after the World Meet and finished in 8th position with a 15.6 average.

The team members told the NSL News in Russia that this line-up would discontinue and had no plans to compete at the USPA Nationals this year. These plans have obviously changed, and Synchronicity is back in action to defend the top position in the female category. Synchronicity opened the competition with a 13-pointer and is two points ahead of Elsinore Select after the first round.

The AAA Class leaderboard is already mixed up between teams of USPA's Open and Advanced Class. Arizona Divewerkz jumped right into the middle of the Open Class teams (11th place) with a 14-pointer, which is only one single point behind Airspeed Odyssey's 15-pointer in round one and also one point behind last year's Advanced Class champion, Mass Defiance. AZDW seems to be the team to beat in USPA's Advanced Class competition. Cross Keys Vision (12) and Perris Storm (11) are also keeping up with the teams on the bottom of the Open Class field.

The AA Class leaderboard did not offer any major surprises after the first round. Ranch Pulse was expected to be the strongest team, and the 19-pointer has already created a 3-point distance. It seems as if the competition in the AA Class will be mainly for the silver and bronze medals.

Four teams are tied in second place after posting 16-pointers for the fast sequence (9-E-L). Two of the strong Air Force line-ups (Shockwave and CAD) are part of this group. The four ladies of Skydive Chicago's Furies are challenging for a medal position, as well, and Fast Forward from the Northern Plains completes the group currently in second place behind Pulse.