posted Feb 18th, 2015 - Former DeLand Majik 4-way world champion of 2004, Joey Jones, has been living at Bodyflight Bedford for a few years. His coaching work includes a lot of indoor training, and his move to Bedford was a logical step years ago.

Every year he watches Bodyflight Bedford get very busy with teams when the annual World Challenge is coming closer, as he recently confirmed: "It has been a busy season here at the tunnel. Teams from all over have been coming to Bedford to hone their skills for the upcoming World Challenge 2015."

He said that last weekend was even busier than usual. Pete Allum and Steve Hamilton were running a tunnel camp, while Joey Jones had his own one at the same time. He had the opportunity for some observations that he shared with the Sun Path Products NSL News.

He said that Pete Allum was actually flying with Kaizen team members: "I am not sure of the meaning, but there might be something in the works..."

Joey Jones was working with last year's runner up team in Italy, Energy Cumiana: "The team remains intact, and spirits are high after our results at the indoor competition in Roosendaal."

It was the team's third trip to Bodyflight Bedford, and additional indoor training is planned in the new wind tunnel in Torino.

Joey Jones is now looking forward to getting the outdoor training started in Italy, leading up to the national championships in Fano.

ISR Grand Prix 2014		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7	Round 8	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	B,7,14	E,N,2,22	10,F,17	A,Q,6,M	5,K,D,O	L,11,21	P,9,18	12,G,J,15	Total	Avg
1	Thunder ISR (BE)	28	25	26	37	34	24	29	24	227	28.4
2	M4trix (NL)	23	19	20	28	27	19	23	19	178	22.3
3	Creeps (BE)	22	19	21	28	27	17	24	19	177	22.1
4	Energy Cumiana (IT)	22	18	21	25	24	16	23	19	168	21.0
5	Bad Boys (CZ)	20	17	19	28	26	14	20	18	162	20.3

Joey Jones said that he also trained again with his UK team 4mula: "This was our second training camp of the season, and the addition of Renata Herenova, former Dynamite Wolf Squadron member, is working out great." He is very excited about the team's potential with a full year of training ahead: "We have 15 hours of tunnel time and 180 jumps planned before the UK Nationals 2015."

However, he expects tough competition this year: "Gary Smith has been working with Voodoo, and Vision 99 did not waste any time picking up Pete." Pete Mather is another former Dynamite Wolf Squadron member, and Vision 99 was the British national 4-way team at the FAI World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2014. Voodoo is the reigning UK 4-way champion.

That's not the end of this year's 4-way AAA/Open Class story in the United Kingdom, as Joey Jones continued with his own evaluation: "When you add the possibility of Satori and a reformed Kaizen it looks like it will be a good fight for the medals. Only time will tell...!"

UK Nationals 2014		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	B,O,7,22	20,J,10	9,M,E,18	12,2,Q	N,P,F,13	4,G,19	A,6,H,C	8,L,D,15	14,16,3	5,1,17	Total	Avg
1	Voodoo	20	15	24	16	24	18	26	17	16	19	195	19.5
2	Vision 99	20	16	22	16	22	16	22	17	16	18	185	18.5
3	Kaizen	21	15	23	16	20	17	24	17	15	16	184	18.4
4	4mula	16	15	19	16	23	16	21	17	15	16	174	17.4
5	Bodyflight Isis	18	15	21	13	19	17	22	17	15	16	173	17.3

Joey Jones also had the SkyDragons from Slovenia visit last week. He and Marco Arrigo joined forces for a 2-on-2 training camp with the team. Coach Joey Jones said that the SkyDragons completed two hours of 2-on-2 training with the two world class competitors and then added three more hours with the complete Slovenian lineup.

The SkyDragons then applied the competition draw of last year's World Challenge and finished with an 18+ average. Now they are planning to attend the World Challenge 2016. Joey Jones said that the SkyDragons may compete for Slovenia at the World Air Games in Dubai at the end of the year.

Individual competitors of other 4-way teams (Quasar, Festina) and more individuals also took advantage of the 2-on-2 opportunity with Joey Jones and Marco Arrigo. Lastly, Joey Jones promised more updates from Bedford soon: "I'll get back to you next month with more repots from Europe's biggest and best tunnel. Until then: Every day is a tunnel camp..."