posted Sep 4th, 2013 - The USPA Nationals 2013 are just around the corner, and it is time for the first preview.

It's not only Arizona Airspeed having to defend the national 4way title, which has been in Eloy consecutively since 2007. The US teams are also trying to fend off the challenging UK teams who try to win the bragging rights for the biggest 4way outdoor competition in the world. It will probably be easier for Airspeed to win the next set of 4way gold medals than for the US teams to beat this year's UK number of 75 teams at the national championships.

DeLand Groove (Ian Bobo, Shannon Pilcher, Gary Smith, Solly Williams, with Jonathan Taggle on camera) was the last team that won USPA gold medals before Airspeed took over in 2007. Airspeed's Odyssey lineup (Andy Delk, Craig Girard, Mark Kirkby, Eliana Rodriguez, with Will Pesek on camera) won the USPA Nationals four times between 2007 and 2010.

USPA Nationals 2006		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA/Open Class	13,19,17	N,21,14	7,M,8	9,K,10	B,22,H,3	4,20,16	G,6,1	12,F,2	J,L,Q,P,18	E,O,5,D	Total	Avg
1	DeLand Groove	21	19	22	22	22	19	20	19	25	33	222	22.2
2	Russia Black Cat	17	19	24	23	20	17	19	19	29	31	218	21.8
3	USA Fastrax	20	18	24	22	22	17	20	19	25	29	216	21.6
4	Airspeed Odyssey	15	17	21	20	21	17	18	19	27	31	206	20.6
5	Perris Fury	16	17	21	20	20	16	19	17	24	29	199	19.9
6	Golden Knights Black	19	16	23	21	20	15	19	19	24	20	196	19.6
7	Airspeed Velocity	17	17	21	20	17	15	19	17	25	25	193	19.3

Thomas Hughes, Niklas Hemlin, Josh Hall and Mark Kirkby, with Bill Schmitz on camera, continued with the Airspeed dominance in the USA in 2011 and 2012 and also won back the 4way Excalibur sword for the USA at the Mondial Dubai 2012. Now it is time for the new Airspeed lineup to win the first USPA 4way gold medals, with new members Thiago Gomes and Chris Farina.

The rest of the 4way world is not wondering whether Airspeed is going to win or not. The focus of the direct international competition from Belgium (NMP-PCH Hayabusa), Russia (Barkli), France (Aerodyne Maubeuge) and Canada (Evolution) will be set on the Airspeed numbers on the scoreboard.

The new Airspeed lineup had posted their first scores at the Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship 2013 (22.9) where Barkli and Evolution competed, as well. The Russian national team had finished only five points behind Airspeed in DeLand.

Paraclete XP Outdoor 2013		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	6,17,15	B,11,16	18,N,22	9,4,F	J,E,C,3	K,O,12,M	5,D,8	Q,13,14	G,7,H,10	1,20,21	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed (US)	21	23	19	28	33	20	22	19	25	19	229	22.9
2	Barkli (RU)	20	22	21	27	27	27	22	18	21	19	224	22.4
3	Evolution (CA)	17	21	16	28	27	24	21	20	19	16	209	20.9
4	Thunder (BE)	19	17	16	26	26	24	21	13	22	17	201	20.1
5	SDC Rhythm XP (US)	17	18	17	25	28	21	21	15	19	15	196	19.6
6	Carolina Turbo XP (US)	17	17	16	22	25	22	19	14	18	12	182	18.2

Hayabusa, Barkli and France recently posted new scores at the World Cup 2013, while Evolution is on a hold due to Martin Lemay's shoulder injury. Barkli will also compete again this week at the Russian Nationals 2013. Then the focus will shift to Skydive Chicago, and the evaluation of the new Airspeed numbers will begin in Belgium, Russia, France and Canada.

There is much more to the USPA Nationals than only the Airspeed performance, and the Sun Path Products NSL News will cover as much as possible of all the other internal battles and stories live from Ottawa, as well. USPA silver and bronze medals are also very popular, and they are never coming easily in any of the three USPA 4way categories (AAA/Open, AAA/Advanced, AA/Intermediate).

SDC Rhythm XP will have to defend the team's first Open Class silver medals of 2012 against Paraclete XP4 and any Golden Knights Open Class lineup. However, Rhythm will surely not look behind, as Airspeed is the main target. Rhythm is the underdog, of course, but the new lineup with Christy Frikken and Mikhail Markine is once again planning to get as close as possible to the very top of the leaderboard.

USPA Nationals 2012		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA/Open Class	3,B,K,H	F,7,22	O,4,D,13	A,M,11,8	N,P,G,19	L,20,1	5,16,J	6,21,12	18,17,10	E,C,Q,15	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed (US)	30	28	24	23	34	22	28	19	20	37	265	26.5
2	SDC Rhythm XP (US)	30	24	23	24	25	21	25	17	19	30	238	23.8
3	Evolution (CA)	24	20	22	21	22	19	26	16	18	33	221	22.1
4	Golden Knights (US)	23	22	20	22	24	17	21	16	17	26	208	20.8
5	DNR (US)	26	22	19	22	22	17	23	15	17	24	207	20.7
6	Paraclete XP4 (US)	22	19	17	20	23	17	19	15	15	23	190	19.0
7	Carolina Turbo XP (US)	22	18	16	19	21	15	20	15	14	19	179	17.9
7	AZ Plosion (US)	21	17	17	19	21	17	17	15	13	22	179	17.9

The Golden Knights had only the female lineup at the USPA Nationals 2012, who were battling with DNR for the bronze medals. It will probably be more difficult for the silver medalists in 4way Women at the World Cup to get close to the bronze medal position this time. Paraclete XP4 is well trained, and Carolina Turbo XP is also eager to get into medal range at USPA Nationals in the Open Class.

Then there is also DNR coming back with almost exactly the same lineup. Original Mass Defiance member John Silva is replacing Steve Johnson. Jim "Malibu" Klinge is now competing with three original Mass Defiance members. Center Inside Ben Liston said that everything between 18- and 21-average seems to be possible.

Ari Perelman and Nick Grillet were trying to challenge DNR last year for the unofficial US amateur title with AZ Plosion, together with Melanie Curtis and Sally Hathaway. They have a new lineup this year and try again with player coach Shannon Pilcher and Don Burnette. This could become more challenging for DNR this time...