posted Mar 20th, 2007 - The NSL-TV coverage of the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2007 begins much earlier compared to the Valentine's Meet 2007. It was obviously easier to get access to the videos since the meet took place at the home location of the NSL headquarters in DeLand. Still nothing is perfect, and a few videos are missing of the first round. They will be added later.

The dust has settled, and the scores have been out there for a few days already. The scores were posted live on the event days every time a round was completed. Discussions and evaluations are now taking place everywhere in the world. The new and strong NSL Forum offers the best space for everybody to become involved and contribute with feedback.

It was a historic event in DeLand last weekend, even though the competition draw was much too slow for a world record average or scores in the 30's or 40's for a single round. The scores of the three top teams represent the highest performance level in 4-way history. Three teams posted meet averages higher than 22.1 in a 10-round competition. The history book of 4-way competition has a new page.

There were higher meet averages of the top teams at previous world class competitions. Russia's Sky Panthers Barkli (24.1) and Black Cat (23.4) are on the top of the highscore rankings with their results at the Russian Nationals 2006.

Black Cat (24.0), France (22.9) and Team Fastrax (21.2) posted impressive meet averages at the Malevsky Cup 2006. Sinapsi PD (23.9) and DeLand Fire (23.2) both finished above the 23.0 benchmark at the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2006. Even back in 2004, DeLand Majik and France Maubeuge already posted 22.8 and 22.7 averages at the Malevsky Cup.

However, each of these 4-way competitions included at least one very fast round that boosted the meet average to a higher level, with only one exception. DeLand Majik and France Maubeuge came to the top averages at the Malevsky Cup 2004 without the help of a "burner round".

It is also obvious that all of these top results included international competition, also with one exception, the Russian Nationals 2006. The best teams from the international 4-way powerhouses, USA, France, Russia and Italy, helped each other to push the limits and the meet averages.

The three top teams at the 5-round World Meet 2006 in Germany came very close to the unique results of last weekend's FSL Shamrock Showdown 2007. DeLand Fire (23.4), France (22.2) and Sinapsi PD (22.0) did not have a round with an average booster, as well. However, the meet was completed after only five rounds and does not really allow to be compared to the other 10-round competitions, and the team in 3rd place, Sinapsi PD, was stopped at a 22.0 average anyway.

The highest previous scoring level of the three top teams, according to the average of the bronze medal winner, was posted at the World Cup 2002 in Spain. DeLand Majik member and 4-way world champion of 2004, Joey Jones, kindly reminded the NSL News of the event in Spain.

DeLand Majik won with a 22.4 average, two points ahead of Arizona Airspeed Vertical. France Maubeuge won the bronze medals in Spain with a 22.1 average after ten rounds.

The situation at the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2007 was different. This time, there was no help by France, Russia or Italy. The three US teams alone succeeded to break the 22.0 benchmark at the same event and set a new record. The 22.2 average by the Golden Knights was the highest score that a team in 3rd place has ever posted.

The Airspeed Odyssey members confirmed that the competition draw was actually even slower compared to the Valentine's Meet 2007 in February. Odyssey had finished the 10-round meet in Eloy with a 22.2 average. The 23.0 average in DeLand with a slower competition draw sets new standards for this year's US contenders, and also for the rest of the world.

The 2007 standard is not only set by Airspeed Odyssey. The NSL-TV audience will find out that Team Fastrax and the Golden Knights are not very far behind the Arizona team at all. In fact, Team Fastrax completed only one point less than Odyssey within the whole working time of 350 seconds. Two points were deducted by event judge Pete Allum.

The first point deduction happened in the meet opener, which is now featured on NSL-TV. Odyssey and Fastrax both completed 23 points within working time, and Fastrax had an infringement. The NSL audience can once again help to find the flaw and provide the feedback in the NSL Forum.

Airspeed Odyssey was still a second ahead of Fastrax in this round and almost completed the 24th point in time. Odyssey had really managed to carry the momentum of Round 10 at the Valentine's Meet into the meet opener in DeLand. The Golden Knights tied Fastrax' 22-pointer, and the first round confirmed already what would lay ahead for the audience - a world-class competition.