posted Jun 30th, 2009 - The NSL News goes back to Russia while still waiting for the latest scores from Texas, which will complete last weekend's leaderboard of two meets.

It is already the second time this year that outdoor scores from a smaller 4-way competition in Russia appear on the NSL leaderboard. The NSL News has covered the most famous and popular Malevsky Cup live from Stupino several times in the past years, until it was discontinued last year.

However, the national championships of Russia were still covered year by year, and the World Cup of 2007, as well.

The Aerograd skydiving center in Kolomna hosted the first 4-way competition on May 3, which was attended by six teams. Three of these teams (Skylight Barkli, Gradient Alpha, Cross Road) now also attended the next warmup competition for the Russian Nationals 2009 in August. Each of these three teams showed significant progression, Gradient Alpha most of all.

It was already the 4th competition this year for Vladimir Arutyunov (Center Outside), Andrey Kalugin (Point), Valery Kryshevich (Tail), Sergey Yalpaev (Center Inside) and Andrey Karin (Camera): Valentine's Meet (13.4) - Shamrock Showdown (14.0) - Kolomna (15.6) - Moscow (17.9) and the meet averages have been going up consistently.

Probably most importantly, Gradient Alpha has now overtaken the other busy Russian team, Cross Road. Dmitry Fridman, Valentin Ilin, Nikolay Vylegdzanin, Alexander Tychinskiy, with Maxim Tikhomirov on camera, competed again last week and had to accept that Gradient Alpha won this duel for the first time in the 3rd direct confrontation.

Both teams still did not get really close to the Russian top team this year, Skylight Barkli. However, Gradient Alpha is now at the scoring level where the second best team, Kaktus Hunter, was in May. Kaktus Hunter did not compete last weekend and prepares for the team's own chase of Skylight Barkli and possibly Black Cat, two of the Russian top contenders in the past years.

It is a very interesting and exciting race in Russia this year, especially since the World Championship of Formation Skydiving will be hosted by Russia in 2010. One Russian 4-way team will have the honor to defend the home turf. It seems to be wide open who will be the Russian national team of 2010.

The Russian Nationals 2009 are scheduled for the first week in August. A few Russian 4-way teams will also compete at the FAI World Cup 2009 four weeks later. The NSL News is waiting for more specific information as of the participation at the meet in the Czech Republic.