posted Oct 29th, 2009 - Today's video uploads complete the coverage of the Top 3 in the 8-way competition at the 2009 USPA National Skydiving Championships. The packages of the first five rounds of Arizona Airspeed, Golden Knights and Paraclete XP are now complete with Paraclete's first half of the 8-way competition. Rounds six and seven were uploaded with all three teams in the final ranking order. Today's second video presents rounds eight, nine and ten of the same teams in the same order.

The previous 8-way story ended when Paraclete XP had just lost four points in Round 7. It was a bad situation for one of the three top contenders, as there was the serious battle for the slot as the national 8-way in 2010 on the way. Everything was still open after Round 6, despite Airspeed's 4-point lead over the Golden Knights and additional two points over Paraclete (119 - 115 - 113).

There was no indication at that time that Airspeed might forward the 8-way slot to the team in second place after winning the 8-way gold medals, as well. The discussion in Airspeed's team room after the completion of all ten rounds showed clearly that the team had no plan for this situation.

In fact, there were a few voices seriously considering a new pursuit of the double gold challenge at the World Meet 2010 in Russia. No FS competitor has yet won 4-way and 8-way gold medals at the same World Championship of Formation Skydiving, although US and French teams have tried it quite a few times. The last and most recent attempt was the French one at the World Meet 2008 in Maubeuge.

However, Airspeed voted to focus only on 4-way after the conclusion of the 8-way competition and before the award ceremony. Nobody knew about this upcoming decision while the 8-way race was going on. It was a battle for the first place for all three teams.

The potential importance of the second place finish was still obvious, as Airspeed had been in the same situation already earlier and made the same decision. The 8-way victory at the USPA Nationals 2007 was followed by forwarding the slot in the US delegation for 2008 to Knight Trax in 2nd place.

This year, there were two 8-way teams behind the winner that would be able to represent the USA in 8-way next year in a most competitive way. But only one of them would get the chance to do so if Airspeed once again ended up on the very top.

The impact of Paraclete's 11-pointer in Round 7 was most significant, as probably all 8-way competitors in these three teams knew. It made it realistically almost impossible for Paraclete to come back and still win at least the race for the second place. The Golden Knights seemed to be too consistent and well trained.

It still became very exciting in the last three rounds, as Paraclete really gave it all and tried as hard as possible to come back. In fact, Paraclete won the last three rounds in total points (63 - 62 - 59) and won back three points from the Golden Knights. It was not enough, the US Army team saved a 2-point advantage over the finish line.

It was still "only" a second place finish for the Golden Knights at that point in time.

Airspeed members informed Meet Director Scott Smith later about the decision to give up the 8-way slot in the US delegation for the World Meet 2010. Scott Smith then announced the new situation during the award ceremony the same evening.

The Golden Knights proudly accepted the new responsibility in 8-way, and Paraclete XP ended up with bronze medals and no visit to Russia next year. Thomas Hughes, Gary Beyer and Shannon Pilcher had eventually tried to win one of the tickets in both events and did not make it. They could still celebrate a very comforting and extraordinary achievement: the new 45-pointer world record in 4-way.

The Golden Knights will compete for the USA in Russia next year. It has been a very long time since the US Army team was the national 8-way team at a world meet.

Several members competed with the US 8-way team in France 2008, but it was not a complete and official US Army team. The Golden Knights also competed at the World Meet 2003 in France - in the 4-way competition.

The last 8-way Golden Knights lineup at a world meet was the legendary team of 1997 that still owns the world record for a single round and the highest meet average (31 - 22.4) in the history of 8-way competition. Charlie Brown, Eric Heinsheimer, John Hoover, Trevor McCarthy, Vernon Miller, Carey Mills, Paul Raspino and Scott Rhodes set these records. Eric Heinsheimer was still competing in 4-way and 8-way at this year's USPA Nationals, not for the Golden Knights though.

Arizona Airspeed took away the 8-way slot from the US Army team at the USPA Nationals in 1998 and then won the 8-way gold medals for the USA in Australia 1999. The Golden Knights won the USPA Nationals in Sebastian later the same year but would never again qualify as the US national 8-way team until now. In fact, Arizona Airspeed has won each 8-way competition at the USPA Nationals since 1999. This year's 8-way gold medal was the 10th one for Craig Girard.

13 years after the glory of 1997, the Golden Knights will compete once again for the USA in 8-way. Golden Knights Commander Lt. Colonel Anthony Dill was on competition site with his team and witnessed the annoucement of the Airspeed/USPA decision to send the Golden Knights to Russia next year. He was surely happy about the new upcoming challenge.

No matter what happens in Russia next year, the Golden Knights still have to take back the USPA 8-way gold medals from Arizona Airspeed. This will be another task for the 2010 season.