posted Jul 8th, 2007 - The NSL News coverage of the Malevsky Cup 2007 is not over yet. Rounds nine and ten will still be added on NSL-TV, and the live interview with Airspeed Odyssey in Russia is also in the works. In the meantime, the NSL News goes back to the meet weekend on June 30.

There were still a few missing scores from Canada that had to be added to the leaderboard. It was the meet weekend whereafter the 4-way community could welcome two more teams into the elite club of 20-point average performances.

Team Evolution from Canada and Next Generation/German4way from Germany shared the best meet average of the June 30 weekend with 20.3 averages each, Evolution after six rounds and Next Generation after seven rounds.

The Canadian family team (Michel, Martin, Vincent and Benoit Lemay, with Peter Toutoudakis on camera) had already posted an 18.5 average on June 2 at the CanAm 2007 season opener. The video of the first round can still be viewed on NSL-TV. There was no doubt already by then that the team had the talent and skills to improve the first results quickly and soon.

It was still a little surprise that Evolution arrived at the 20.0 average level already not even four weeks later. Earlier NSL News stories have introduced the team, the last one commented the new team record average on June 2 with the story on June 7. The progression of the Lemay family team is impressive and seems to have no limits.

The German team Next Generation was also introduced by the NSL News with the last story on April 24. The team had actually just changed the name to German4way. However, the team members are the same, with Max Thiele (Point), Jörn Thiele (Center Inside), Dieter Schwarz (Center Outside), Markus Bastuck (Tail) and Alexander Hau (Camera) in the line-up.

The NSL News gave the story the right headline: "German4way is knocking on the 20-average door". The 20.3 average was on the NSL/DSL scoreboard just two months later. It is a new record average for the German team, as well, and it received attention by the general public.

German IPC Delegate and Deputy Chairman of IPC's Formation Skydiving Committee, Dr. Rainer "Exi" Hoenle, provided the NSL News with an article that was published in the German print media. It began with the headline: "German 4way jumps into the world-class".

The article explained what happened on the June 2 weekend in Germany and relates to the synchronisation of the 4-way meets between the participating countries. It mentioned that Next Generation/German4way ended up in 1st place, tied with Canada's team Evolution. The 20.0 benchmark received special attention, as well:

"It was the first time that the magical 20.0 benchmark was surpassed by a German team. This means that Next Generation/German4way has now taken its place in the field of the best 4-way teams in the world."

The article offered additional information of the team plans. Next Generation/German4way will represent Germany at the upcoming European Championships in Russia on August 5 to 11. There are hopes that the results of June 2 may give the team a chance to compete for the European medal positions.

Finally, the article also mentions that Next Generation/German4way has joined forces with the former German national 4-way team EADS to form a strong 8-way line-up. This 8-way team might have a chance to become a medal contender, as well.

Canada's team Evolution and the German team will most likely meet each other directly at the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2008 in France. In the meantime, they may watch and compare each others' scores on a meet weekend here and there at the synchronized NSL leaderboard.

The situation in Sweden is not as clear so far as it is in Germany and Canada. Six teams from Sweden competed on the June 2 weekend, as well, four of them in the AAA Class competition. The two best Swedish teams of the past years, Team 42 and Team Spaï, attended the first meet of the Swedish 2007 season and took the 3rd and 4th places on the NSL leaderboard of the June 2 weekend, right behind Evolution and German4way.

Team 42 (17.0) was six points ahead of Team Spaï (15.0) after only three rounds. However, Swedish league organizer Lennart Vestbom mentioned that Team 42 does not feel well prepared for the European Championships 2007:

"Last week Team 42 told us they are NOT going to the World Cup. The reason is that they have not trained enough so far this year. The Swedish Competition Committée is discussing if Team Spaï will be qualified to go as substitutes."

The German national 4-way team in IPC's female category, Chicas, was next on the June 2 leaderboard with a 13.3 average after seven rounds. Ranch Pulse, the best US team in the AAA Class that weekend, finished in 10th position with an 11.2 average after six rounds.