posted Jun 23rd, 2007 - Two NSL News stories on May 11 and May 24 provided updates from the Netherlands and a preview of the first meet of the 2007 season, the Tomscat Trophy 2007.

This weekend it was time for the showdown of the Dutch teams in Hoogeveen. It was the 13th time that the Tomscat Trophy was held, and it seems as if it will be the 13th time that Paul Hofstee will win the first place at the same event. His new team, Dynamic Force, dominates the field of eight AAA Class teams after four rounds.

Reigning 4-way world champion Gary Smith is at the competition site and works with several teams. He spends most of the summer time in the Netherlands and knows the Dutch 4-way scene very well. He expected an interesting competition when he sent a brief preview a few days ago:

"A very exciting and long awaited meet is coming up for Holland with the Tomscat Trophy 2007. It will be a big meet, and I hear that 22 teams are registered. The meet will will be run out of two Cessna Caravans over three days.

It is a big season opener for all divisions as many teams have reformed, and many teams have put in a lot of hard work either in Deland or at home here in Holland. There are three strong teams in the AAA Class, all hoping to show their good stuff.

Team Pulse has been training in Spa, Belgium, after a winter camp in Deland. Team 50/50 is the combination of former Punky Fish members and girls of the former national female team Infinity. This team has trained very little but has a wealth of meet experience and is a well balanced team. Dynamic Fource trained in Deland in May and has done very few training days ever since, but has done a lot of tunnel time. This is going to be an interesting meet."

Dutch League manager Mike Pennock provided additional information and confirmed Gary Smith's preview: "This year we have got a record number of 22 competing teams at the Tomscat Trophy. Never in the history of Dutch Skydiving competitions have there been this many teams. The previos record was 18, also held by the Tomscat organisation."

The 22 teams have signed up in all four competition classes, four in the Rookie Class, nine in the A Class, one in the AA Class and eight in the AAA Class. Many of the teams competed already last year, and three teams have moved up into a higher competition class.

Whoops was the strongest Dutch Rookie Class team in 2006 and is now far ahead of the other teams in the A Class. Mind Your Step was the strongest team in the A Class throughout the 2006 season and now competes in the AA Class. NRG attended only one meet in the A Class last year and competes in the AAA Class this weekend.

Mike Pennock and his Dutch Lague managament were surprised when the weather turned out to be better than expected on Friday: "Although the predictions where very bad, 10% sun and 90% rain, we were able to start at 9:00 am on Friday and completed already four rounds in the AAA Class and three rounds for all other teams."

However, the bad weather is now catching up in the Netherlands, and the meet is on a hold. There has been drizzling rain since sunrise. Mike Pennock already provided the first competition video of the Tomscat Trophy. Team Pulse tied Dynamic Force's highscore in Round 3 with a 15-pointer.

Three other meets take place at the same time in Europe (Czech Republic, Austria and Belgium), while the Midwest Skydiving League is holding its second meet of the 2007 season at the Chicagoland Skydiving Center. MWSL Director Alan Butt reported the same weather situation today from Illinois and has his teams on a weather hold, as well.

A quick look at the weather map shows that the whole country seems to have great skydiving conditions, while a green patch of rain hangs over the Illinois radar screen. Alan Butt expects much improved weather conditions for tomorrow, and the MWSL teams are ready to come back on Sunday morning.