posted Aug 10th, 2015 - Norway's national championships were held last week, as well, which completed the Scandinavian outdoor competition season. VAF Warriors (16.6) won in Denmark, Gryttjom Volo (16.0) in Sweden, Tigers (14.5) in Finland, and the DeLand Norgies posted the highest Scandinavian meet average this year with 18.9 after seven rounds.

The DeLand Norgies came back together once again for the annual reunion of the original lineup (Pal Kolbenstvedt, Lise Nansen, Carl-Erik Tuv, Torstein Valen) who won three consecutive bronze medals at the world meets in 1999, 2001 and 2003. Johan Bryhni was filming the team this year.

The 18.9 average after seven rounds almost matches the 19.1 that won the first set of bronze medals in 1999. The DeLand Norgies are still the strongest Scandinavian 4-way team at this point in time - 16 years later and without any serious 4-way training.

Norwegian Nationals 2015		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7	Round 8	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	P,D,11,A	E,J,10,B	O,9,8	18,C,2	K,L,M,4	1,17,14	19,3,22	21,F,15	Total	Avg
1	DeLand Norgies	23	22	20	17	22	16	12	-	132	18.9
2	DUMT VFSK	12	17	17	13	11	12	14	15	111	13.9
3	4Intimity	13	14	12	8	12	8	8	9	84	10.5
4	Bellyboys	5	6	4	5	6	4	4	6	40	5.0
5	Golden Oldies HaFSK	4	3	3	4	4	2	2	-	22	3.1

The DeLand Norgies story is impressive and ever-lasting, and it is well known in the Formation Skydiving competition world by now. However, the team in 2nd place at last week's national championship has a very interesting profile, as well.

The names of three experienced Norwegian and one Danish 4-way competitors are behind the new team name DUMT VFSK, and they are connected to each other in different ways.

All four team members are former national competitors for their country, even though Ulrik Høgsberg did not compete for Norway. He was a Sequence member, Denmark's national B-Team in 2009 - 2010 and then joined Voluntas in 2011 and at the Mondial Dubai 2012. His three Norwegian team mates competed at least at one world meet together.

Marianne Nordlund was a member of X3M4S in 2010, Norway's national 4-way team at the world meet in Menzelinsk, Russia.

It was one of the few world meets where Denmark outscored Norway (19.0 - 15.8) and Sweden.

The 8-way competition at the World Meet 2010 in Menzelinsk included the last time that a Norwegian 8-way team competed at a World Championship of Formation Skydiving.

That's where former Arcteryx member Derek Broughton joined forces with his future wife Marianne Nordlund, as all X3M4S members were also in the 8-way lineup.

In fact, Trude Sviggum competed at the same meet in 8-way, as well, together with her Polaris team mates Ellen Burchardt and Kristine Willadsen. Three of last week's DUMT VFSK members were in this Norwegian 8-way lineup in Menzelinsk 2010. Polaris represented Norway for the first time in 4-way Women at the World Meet 2010. Two years later, Polaris won bronze medals at the Mondial Dubai 2012. The same 8-way lineup of 2010 actually included another 4-way competitor who placed 3rd last week.

Norwegian Nationals 2015		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7	Total	Avg
Rank	A Class	F,19	J,O,G	M,4	9,6	D,N,B	Q,C,H	21,A	Total	Avg
1	Kentucky Fried Penguins	13	19	13	13	19	22	13	112	16.0
2	Kurre med bøkken VFSK	11	13	11	11	13	16	10	85	12.1
3	Hvasomhelst TøFSK	6	11	10	10	9	9	10	65	9.3
4	OsloBASE RW VetFSK	10	11	7	7	9	10	10	64	9.1
4	Alien Brain Mash	8	10	9	7	12	8	10	64	9.1
6	Purple Haze TøFSK	8	13	7	7	7	11	6	59	8.4
7	Team Tumble TronFri	5	4	3	5	4	5	-	26	4.3
8	Stickmen NTNU	2	1	3	2	2	1	-	11	1.8
9	Susehuer.nå TøFSK	3	0	1	1	0	0	-	5	0.8

Kjetil Nordin trained and competed with X3M4S and was Marianne Nordlund's team mate in 2010. He lives in Denmark and recently competed with Pangaeus at the Danish Nationals 2015. He visited his homeland and competed in 4-way and 8-way.

Derek and Marianne Nordlund-Broughton now competed together again, five years later and this time in 4-way.

Derek Nordlund Broughton was also invited to compete with DeLand Norgies' 8-way team last week where he joined forces with his former Arcteryx team mate Ditta Valsdottir.

Torstein Valen's wife Sissel Maria Finnseth and Trude Sviggum completed the 8-way lineup.

The reunions of the most experienced Norwegian 4-way competitors was not the only highlight of the national championships.

In fact, the older generation of top competitors could enjoy a new record participation in Norway's grassroots event, the A Class competition. Ten teams is the highest number in Norway's Formation Skydiving history since this category was introduced in 2009.

Derek Broughton and Marianne Nordlund won the first A Class competition with Angry War Lords in 2009. Then Pal Kolbenstvedt's Kentucky Fried Penguins took over and won each A Class title ever since, with one exception. Lise Nansen's Swingers won in 2011. The Penguins now won their 6th A Class title last week.