posted Aug 28th, 2006 - The latest scores on the NSL leaderboard are from the two international meets last weekend. The Dutch League (DL) held its fourth and last competition of the 2006 season at Blue Side Up on the island of Texel. League manager Mike Pennock reported a record participation of eleven teams.

Other events in the Netherlands, as the Tomscat Trophy and the national championships, which are both included in the Dutch League's schedule, have attracted a larger number of teams in the past. However, last weekend's competition had new record numbers for the A Class and Rookie Class competition at a regulat DL meet.

The weather forecast after a cold and rainy week did not promise much for the meet weekend, but the Saturday offered perfect conditions to everybody's surprise. Mike Pennock said that all the teams were on time on the island, and ths first load took off at 09:00 am. The Saturday turned out to become a record day for the hosting skydiving center with a a total of 21 loads on one day.

The Punky Fish veterans Paul Hofstee, Bert Hajee and Johan Wieken were guiding Cool Runnings, Zwabber and Pioschop through the competition as player coaches. These three new teams were formed during a Punky Fish skills camp in July. Bert Hajee won a silver medal with Zwabber last weekend.

Mind Your Step was the defending Dutch 2006 champion in the A Class after winning the Tomscat Trophy (9.7) and the Dutch Nationals 2006 (10.4) this year. The new team NRG came from nowhere and won last weekend's competition with an 12.0 average after six rounds.

The results at the last meet of the regular DL 2006 season also determined the overall winners of the Dutch League 2006. Team Whooops took the first place in the Rookie Class. Leon van Leeuwen (Point), Erwin van der Schaaf (Center Outside), Mechie van der Schaaf-Voermans (Center Inside), Isabella Terpstra (Tail) and Johan de Pijper (Video) also won the award for the most improved team after beginning the 2006 season with a 6.2 average and finishing with an 8.7 average last weekend.

Mind Your Step lost the last meet of the 2006 season but won the DL Championship 2006 in the A Class with the best overall results of the 2006 events.

The Netherlands will once again send a complete delegation to the ESL Championship 2006 on September 8 in Spa, Belgium. Punky Fish, Infinity and Pulse will represent the country in the AAA Class, while NRG and the Daltons will compete for the Netherlands in the AA Class.

Four teams have signed up for the A Class competition in Spa: Mind Your Step, Alles is Relatief (AIR), Pioschop and Tiramisu. The Dutch delegation will be completed by three Rookie Class teams: Whooops, TGV, and Zwabber.

The delegation of the Netherlands will have to defend the "Spirit", the ESL Championship trophy. The scores of the whole delegation will be accumulated, and the Dutch teams won the trophy last year. Great Britain has announced a serious challenge this year and will send a very strong delegation, as well.