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Did You Know...

... that Airspeed's lineup rotation has been increasing the pace in the past years?

Arizona Airspeed gold at the Mondial Dubai 2012
posted Jun 3rd, 2016 - It has been quite a turbulent time period for Arizona Airspeed after the FAI World Meet in Prostejov 2014, and the Sun Path Products NSL News took once again a closer look at the changes of the lineups over the years.

It was at the time of Airspeed's 20-year anniversary when the last lineup update was posted, and Airspeed was the reigning 4-way world champion by then.

Thomas Hughes and Mark Kirkby had put together the next lineup after winning the gold medals at the FAI Mondial Dubai 2012, with Chris Farina and Thiago Gomes as their new team mates.

The previous lineup (2011 - 2012) had spent only two years together, which was shorter compared to the earlier teams who had won FAI gold medals for the U.S.A.

In fact, it was the first time in 2012 that any Airspeed lineup won gold medals within two years and then retired.

FAI World Meet 2008
12345678TotalAvg
Rank4-way OpenB,17,7H,N,13,A10,J,C,618,12,2E,3,919,O,4D,M,5,1614,20,21TotalAvg
1Airspeed OdysseyUS3032 24162921281519524.4
2MaubeugeFR283023172723281819424.3
3HayaBusa DefenceBE273323172722251719123.9
FAI World Meet 2010
12345678910TotalAvg
Rank4-way Open10,7,123,11,5J,M,Q,P,L19,1,13N,18,20K,17,82,15,H4,D,6O,E,9,G22,B,16TotalAvg
1Aerodyne AerokartFR2122562022242224402627727.7
2Arizona AirspeedUS2221532320242325402327427.4
3Sky PanthersRU1921562119212322412126426.4
Arizona Airspeed lineups between 1995 and 2016.
6 years together: Original Airspeed lineup
The original Airspeed lineup (Jack Jefferies, Kirk Verner, Dan BC, Mark Kirkby) spent six years together and won two consecutive sets of gold medals in 1995 and 1997, then retired after silver in 1999.

John Eagle, Craig Girard, Neal Houston and Mark Kirkby won their first world meet gold medals after only two years, as well (2001), and then did not win the USPA Nationals in the next two years.

Eliana Rodriguez, Craig Girard, Andy Delk and Mark Kirkby again needed only two years to get to the very top of the world in 2008 and then also failed to defend the top position successfully.

Josh Hall, Thomas Hughes, Niklas Hemlin and Mark Kirkby did again in 2012 what the three previous Airspeed lineups had accomplished and won gold medals after only two years. Differently compared to the earlier lineups they did not continue after winning.

In fact, the rotation of the Airspeed lineups has increased in the last five years and since the last update.

FAI World Meet 2012
12345678910TotalAvg
Rank4-way Open5,12,E6,D,B,KO,8,7N,13,1810,21,M19,H,11C,G,1,A20,9,1516,F,P,Q2,J,4TotalAvg
1Arizona AirspeedUS2734272223233225402627927.9
2NMP-PCH HayabusaBE2534272123243227402527827.8
3Aerodyne AerokartFR2630272123252923372426526.5
FAI World Meet 2014
12345678910TotalAvg
Rank4-way OpenE,3,C,5F,6,D,2119,H,2M,4,1O,14,A,P8,J,167,11,1222,20,1517,G,1813,B,9TotalAvg
1NMP-PCH HayabusaBE3229252533252218262926426.4
2Arizona AirspeedUS3127252431232217242925325.3
3EvolutionCA3128242228232021252724924.9
1 year together: Airspeed's 2016 lineup
The new 2013 lineup (Thiago Gomes, Thomas Hughes, Chris Farina, Mark Kirkby) also completed only a 2-year period and could not copy the previous quick gold medal successes.

The next lineup after the 2nd place at the FAI World Meet in Prostejov 2014 (Thiago Gomes, Thomas Hughes, Chris Farina, Niklas Hemlin) lasted only for one year before Mikhail Markine replaced Chris Farina for the 2016 season. Even the new and current lineup will have only one year together, as Thomas Hughes will not continue after the FAI Mondial 2016. Airpeed will have gone through four different lineups in four years (2014 - 2017).

The increasing pace in Airspeed's lineup rotation has not affected the dominating position on home turf though. In fact, the completion of the last Airspeed decade (2007 - 2016) at this year's USPA Nationals will be the most successful time period in team history, with only USPA gold medals since 2007. However, the domestic competition might become tougher with SDC Rhythm XP consistently on Airspeed's heels, and there is also the question when Airspeed will eventually bring back to Eloy the William H. Ottley Sword for Formation Skydiving Competition - also known as the Excalibur...

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