posted Jun 21st, 2007 - The NSL News introduces the next contender for this year's top positions. Ranch Pulse was already covered as one of the top contenders in USPA's AAA/Advanced Class competition for this year's championship with the story on June 5. This time, the AA/Intermediate Class competition has its turn and finds one of the top teams in the MidAtlantic Skydiving League.

Skydive Cross Keys hosted the second attempt to launch the 2007 season last weekend. The first event, the MASL Rookie Challenge, was scheduled for April 28 and weathered out. The second attempt was more successful, and the three teams completed all planned rounds in the three competition classes.

Cross Keys Air Pollution impressed all AA Class teams in the country with a new performance and scoring level this year. Last year's line-up (Martin Schneider, Jr., Robert Fields, Ron Schaefer, Michael Minicozzi, Rachel Baum on camera) had a 10.4 season average after five meets (10.0 - 9.7 - 10.5 - 10.1 - 10.5), including the USPA Nationals 2006 in the AA/Intermediate Class.

The 2007 season began with a new line-up and an 11.3 average at last weekend's MASL season opener. The long-time MASL AA Class competitors of Air Pollution had a roster change this year. The original centers, Marty Schneider and Rob Fields, came back in the same positions and joined forces with Karl Schuch (Tail) and MASL Director Cherie Schuch (Point). Jack Baum is filming Air Pollution this year. He takes the position of his wife Racheal Baum who videod Air Polution in 2005 and 2006.

Air Pollution and the Schuch family, former CK O2 Project members, have been training for more than four years with various members, and it was time for a change. Cherie Schuch had a neck surgery in January this year and wasn't planning to train at all in 2007.

However, the recovery went better and faster than expected, and Marty Schneider and Rob Fields of Air Pollution joined Cherie and Karl Schuch for some tunnel training in April to test out Cherie's physical shape. It turned out to be the beginning of a new casual Air Pollution team project for 2007.

Cherie Schuch reported that the team has had a good time so far: "Long time friends having a good time! The focus this year is to promote 4-way and get more people involved in Formation Skydiving competition at Cross Keys."

The 11.3 average at the season opener could also be the beginning of a journey toward the top position in the AA/Intermediate Class this year. Last weekend's Air Pollution scores stand for the second highest meet average of the 2007 season (see AA Class Rankings), and it was surely not a fast competition draw. Only Mystic Pizza scored higher on May 26 with a 14.2 average. However, Mystic Pizza, with Fastrax member Niklas Hemlin, was only a pickup team for the MESL meet that weekend.

The MidAtlantic Skydiving League teams and competitors finally got a weather break for an entire weekend for the first time this season. Three teams came out, Air Pollution in the AA Class, Meteors in the A Class and a new Rookie Class team called 1 Nite Stand.

Jenn Kong, Joe Halpern, Denise Thorley and Ed Allen have formed 1 Nite Stand. Three of the members have less than 100 jumps. Jenn Kong with 100 jumps and Joe Halpern with 56 jumps joined the 4-way community as a result of last week's training camp at Cross Keys.

Other MASL veterans formed the A Class team Meteors. Rick Javorka, Dennis Miller, Alexis and Andrea Nahama were filmed by Chris Heinen, a first-time 4-way videographer. The Meteors came without any training jumps to the meet and finished the 6-round meet with a 4.8 average.

The Meteors are motivated and plan to train over the next month. They have already scheduled the MASL Karp Cup in July as the team's next competition. Air Pollution will be back in July, as well, and there will be serious local competition. MASL archrival Controlled Descent finished a 4-day training camp in Deland the weekend prior to the MASL competition and took the meet weekend off. However, they will return for the biggest MASL meet of the season next month.