posted Feb 4th, 2017 - The Indoor Cloud League teams performing the monthly sequences in 14+ flying chambers have been out-numbering the 12+ teams for a while. However, the competition is still as popular as ever and continues in the smaller wind tunnels with the smaller dive pool, even with ICL teams now posting scores on the additional and separate 14+ leaderboard.

In fact, some of the teams have performed both sets of the AAA - AA - A sequences for additional practice of the block techniques. The Canadian teams 4Astrophe (AAA) and Air Devils (AA - A) from SkyVenture Montreal recently posted scores on both leaderboards.

iFLY Sacramento is the current leader on the 12+ leaderboard, even though SkyVenture Montreal owns the three highscores for the technical sequences (AAA - AA - A). The Northern Californian 4-way rookies at iFLY Sacramento collected the winning points in January, while iFLY SF Bay has not submitted numbers and videos yet. NCSL Director Lori Connor wrote a summary of the event at iFLY Sacramento.

iFLY Sacramento - January	AAA	AA	A	RRR	RR	R	Total
Teams	Q,14,L,17	Q,9,14	Q,L,9	L,C,F	M,Q,L	M,Q	Total
Matt Stephens, Jason Russell, Steven Walker, Abbie Crews	14	18	-	-	-	-	32
Lisa Larkin, Jim Dawson, Nick Armstrong, Matt Stephens	-	-	23(-1)	-	-	-	23
Lisa Larkin, Ron Ashcraft, John Verley, Monty Stephens	-	-	16	-	-	-	-
Valerie Armstrong, Noah Thornquest, Caleb Thornquest, Matt Stephens	-	-	-	27	-	-	27
Krista Gusack, Arturo Espinosa, Russ Hebert, Jason Russell	-	-	-	17	-	-	-
Kristen Breaux, Justin Breaux, Steven Walker, Jason Russell	-	-	-	-	24(-2)	33	57
Ryan Kihm, Scott Rainey, Matt Stephens, Abbie Crews	-	-	-	-	19	25	-
Matt Lawson, Keith Clayton, Steven Walker, Jason Russell	-	-	-	-	19	23	-
iFLY Sacramento Best of January	14	18	23(-1)	27	24(-2)	33	139

Lori Connor has had the opportunity to watch the iFLY SFBay participants gain skills over the last years while she was judging each of the monthly tunnel kickers. She then also saw the results of everyone's hard work from the tunnel carried over to the outdoor events watching the videos of all the NCSL teams: "It's truly inspiring to see first-hand the progression of skills being acquired by the NCSL flyers at each of the monthly tunnel kickers."

She was very happy to see again first-hand how everyone's skills have risen dramatically since May last year when the NCSL began holding events with coaching at iFLY Sacramento: "iFLY Sacramento's ICL team appears to be ready to start applying their newly acquired skills to make a show on the Indoor Cloud League leaderboard in 2017."

Eight teams competed internally at the NCSL January Tunnel Kicker on January 19th. Lori Connor had three teams competing in the R and RR categories, two in RRR and two in the A Class. Matt Stephens, Jason Russell, Steven Walker and Abbie Crews flew the AA and AAA sequences as a team, while also player coaching the Rookie Class teams.

"Kristen Breaux and Justin Breaux, with player coaches Jason Russell and Steven Walker, scored a whopping 33-pointer for the R Class sequence and added 24 points in RR. Kristen joined her husband Justin in skydiving last year when she received her A License towards the end of the season.

"It's been fun to watch her progress in the tunnel and Kristen admits that her outdoor flying is much stronger because of the tunnel skills. It is worth noting that the other two teams competing internally in the R/RR categories flew really well, as well.

"Ryan Kihm and Scott Rainey, with player coaches Matt Stephens and Abbie Crews, scored 19 points in RR and 25 in R. Matt Lawson and Keith Lawson, with player coaches Steven Walker and Jason Russell, scored 19 points in RR and 23 points in R.

"Twin brothers Noah Thornquest, Caleb Thornquest, with Valerie Armstrong and player coach Matt Stephens, won the internal competition with a 27-pointer. Noah and Caleb are now both disqualified from competing in the RRR Class after previously submitting a 29-pointer in RRR in September 2016. Flyers submitting two 25+ scores in the same category must move up pursuant to the Indoor Cloud League rules. Krista Gusack, Arturo Espinosa and Russ Hebert, with player coach Jason Russell, submitted a strong RRR score with 17 points, as well.

"The A Class also had an interesting internal competition. Lisa Larkin was on two teams in the same category knowing that only one score could be submitted as the top score for the ICL 12+ leaderboard. She flew with what has been her regular lineup at several previous tunnel kickers (Ron Ashcraft, John Verley, Monty Stephens) and scored 16 points.

"Then she also teamed up with Jim Dawson, Nick Armstrong and player coach Matt Stephens and scored 23 points. Jim Dawson was a new NCSL participant in January, although definitely not a new flyer in Northern California. Jim in years past trained and competed with Matt Stephens and 4-way team Kaleidoscope for several years. It was fun to see them both flying together again.

Indoor Cloud League 2017			AAA	AA	A	RRR	RR	R	Total
Rank	January 12+		H,11,O,3	H,7,11	H,O,7	H,B,D	M,H,O	M,H	Total
1	iFLY Sacramento	US	14	18	23(-1)	27	24(-2)	33	139
2	iFLY Orlando	US	17	19	21	25(-2)	17	15	114
3	SkyVenture Montreal	CA	19	22	28	-	-	-	69

"The lineup of the coaches in January (Matt Stephens, Jason Russell, Steven Walker, Abbie Crews) scored 18 points in AA and 14 points in AAA. It was the first time that Abbie had flown Block 3 in the tunnel or in the sky, and it was great to see the team's progress during the kicker.

"Overall the Sacramento Indoor Cloud League team put 139 points on the leaderboard, which is a great start for 2017. Congratulations to all of the flyers for demonstrating skills and showing competitive spirit at the inaugural 2017 Tunnel Kicker!

"A big thanks goes out to iFLY Sacramento for helping sponsor the Sacramento Indoor Cloud League team and providing us such a wonderful tunnel to fly in. The instructors, drivers and counter personnel are always so attentive, helpful and experienced. We just love flying there and can't wait to do it again!