posted Jul 21st, 2005 - David van Greuningen provided the NSL News with his feedback from the DeLand Majik perspective on July 19 after he had followed the NSL coverage of the Malevsky Cup 2005. Comments by Golden Knights team captain John Hoover now complete feedback by the six US teams that will compete for the qualification as the US national team in 2006. DeLand Majik and the Golden Knights did not compete in Russia.

NSL News: John, did you get the chance to follow the Malevsky Cup 2005 coverage?

John Hoover: Yes, my team and I really enjoyed watching the coverage on the NSL website. Since we were training 8-way at the time, we paid close attention to the tight race between Airspeed and the French. I loved being able to watch the videos as soon as the scores were posted. It was great coverage.

NSL News: Airspeed's Kirk Verner, DeLand Fire's Gary Smith and Fastrax members John Hart and Niklas Hemlin already provided the views of teams that competed in Russia after the meet. What is Your general impression of the 4-way progression this year so far?

John Hoover: The overall progression is about what I expected. There is still an opportunity to train before the Nationals and I suspect everyone will continue to improve. The real question is how much improvement will we see in the next 6 weeks?

NSL News: Can you evaluate the performance of the four US top contenders at the Malevsky Cup for us, please? Let's begin with the winner, DeLand Fire.

John Hoover: I was impressed with Deland Fire’s performance, especially in the first and last rounds. Watching their jumps on the NSL site, I liked their random work and thought their blocks techniques were very solid.

NSL News: Where you surprised by the Fastrax performance?

John Hoover: I wasn’t surprised that they did well. John Hart and the boys have a solid plan. However, I was surprised by the dramatic highs and lows of their scores. They are definitely a team with the potential to explode on the scoreboard.

NSL News: Airspeed competed in 4-way and in 8-way. Can You tell us how You see their chances to win both events at the USPA Championship 2005?

John Hoover: The Golden Knights recently completed some 8-way training of our own. You can check the August issue of Skydiving Magazine for a full Golden Knights update. I have to say it was difficult making the switch between 4-way and 8-way. I thought Airspeed did a great job managing this challenge at the Malevsky Cup. They had a very solid performance in 4-way and a terrific race in 8-way. However, I think the Malevsky Cup shows everyone how hard it will be to win both disciplines at any one meet.

NSL News: How does the US 4-way situation look for You after the Malevsky Cup and six weeks before the USPA Championship 2005, including DeLand Majik and the Golden Knights?

John Hoover: I don’t think the 4-way situation has changed very much since the beginning of the year. Deland Fire is still the team to beat, and Majik is unknown quantity at this point. I suppose the Golden Knights are an unknown quantity as well. It should be fun to see how things come out at the nationals.

NSL News: What can You tell us about the Golden Knights 2005?

John Hoover: We are trying a new approach this year. Our training is broken down into sections and all of the components will not fall into place until just before the US Nationals. So to speculate on our potential would be premature. I can say that this is the best Golden Knights team I have ever been on, and we have a great time training together.

NSL News: How strong was the international competition in 4-way and 8-way in Russia, and who do you expect as the strongest opponents for the US teams in 2006?

John Hoover: I am very surprised not to see a French team this year. I hope they put together a squad for the world meet in 2006. The French have been a big force since I started jumping, and we are all at a loss without their presence. The Russian and Italian teams seem to be the biggest forces on the international level, but it is anyone’s guess as to how things will stack up next year.

NSL News: Do You have any feedback as of the eligibility affair involving Italy's team Sinapsi PD with Pete Allum?

John Hoover: One day I hope to see all teams and individuals eligible to compete at the world championships. The more we hold back top competitors and top teams, the more we hinder our sport from reaching its full potential.

NSL News: Thank You for the interview, John.