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Did You Know...

... that the Golden Knights finished with the lowest 10-round average since 2010?

Golden Knights at the USPA Nationals 2017
image by: USPA/Omniskore
posted Nov 8th, 2017 - The NSL News has covered most of the teams in the 8-way Open Class competition of the USPA Nationals 2017 and left the best for last.

The Golden Knights won the USPA gold medals with a distance to the next U.S. team that was probably the largest ever. Arizona Airspeed won the silver medals in Perris, 55 points behind the U.S. Army team and 8-way world champions of 2012, 2014 and 2016.

It has not been much different ever since the Golden Knights focused back on 8-way in 2009, which was the year when Airspeed won their last 8-way gold medals at national championships. The Golden Knights won a year later by eight points (199 - 191), and Airspeed never got anywhere close ever since.

At the same time, the winning average after the ten rounds in Perris was the lowest one since the USPA Nationals 2010, which was the last event where the Golden Knights posted an average below the 20-average benchmark. The visiting guest teams from Qatar and Belgium were still just as unable to threaten the 8-way world champions as the U.S. teams were, even though the Fly-In Machine 44 outscored the Golden Knights in two rounds. There was still a 17-point difference between the Golden Knights and NMP PCH HayaBusa's 8-way lineup at the end.

USPA Nationals 2017
12345678910TotalAvg
Rank8-way OpenG,22,19,6,2D,7,178,J,C,KQ,B,14,2019,15,4A,10,1312,M,N,PH,O,3,165,21,11TotalAvg
1Golden KnightsUS2217161921221921281720220.2
GFly-In Machine 44BE2316171615211620261518518.5
GQatar FalconsQA1612151215161317201314914.9
2Arizona AirspeedUS1714111515171413181314714.7
GAmphibious Attack TigersUS1812131013181416151114014.0
6SDC Rhythm XP8US1211121311151215141212712.7
7Paraclete XP8US1311101112141211141011811.8
8Spaceland Gummies 8US1111871012910109979.7
GPerris Spider PigsUS5745657547555.5

The Golden Knights have been performing in their own league for a while, in the U.S.A. as well as internationally. There was a difference of seven points to Russia's Tanay 8-way team after the three rounds at the FAI World Cup 2017, and the Golden Knights won the FAI gold medals at the FAI Mondial 2016 40 points ahead of France.

Awards at the FAI World Cup 2017 in Saarlouis
It was five years ago when an 8-way team finished anywhere close to the Golden Knights. The French national team had tried to defend their gold medals at the FAI Mondial Dubai 2012 and ended up four points behind the new 8-way world champions from the U.S. Army headquarters in North Carolina.

It had been even closer between France and Golden Knights at the FAI World Cup 2011 where the U.S. team won for their first international FAI gold medals by one single point over France.

The days of challenging competition are long gone for the reigning 8-way world champions, which could become a dangerous situation. The 20.2 average at the USPA Nationals 2017 could encourage the major international 8-way rivals.

The promising Belgian Fly-In Machine 44 has withdrawn from 8-way competition for the 2018 season, as NMP PCH HayaBusa will focus on 4-way training and competition. However, a 20.2 average will probably not impress other potential and ambitious medal contenders too much.

FAI Mondial 2012
12345678910TotalAvg
Rank8-way OpenN,21,B,514,C,1322,M,2017,H,16J,E,12,47,19,15G,K,8,2O,L,F,P,A10,11,189,Q,D,1TotalAvg
1Golden KnightsUS2119272626182028192522922.9
2Aerodyne MaubeugeFR2219222327202028192522522.5
3BarkliRU1918222221151524162019219.2
4EADSDE1413151518141416131614814.8
5VIVACH1313151514111217131313613.6
6Dubai AsaarAE1111121110101012121211111.1
7M8TrixNL111111121210101210-9911.0
8Brit ChicksUK11111211141011116-9710.8
9South AfricaZA1211111013991110-9610.7
10Qatar FalconsQA11911111299118-9110.1
11AustraliaAU1089111210913--8210.3
12The 8 TeamBE8117111291012--8010.0
12CTR OptimumBR9911121091010--8010.0
14AustriaAT8891010678--668.3
15Maximum RideCA88787877--607.5
16SingaporeSG87855678--546.8
First 8-way gold medals at the FAI Mondial 2012
The future of the French national 8-way team is unknown, as the French skydiving federation has not shown much support for any 8-way plans recently. It still would not take too much training for the many former French 8-way world champions and top competitors to get to a 20+ average level within a year.

Russia might even be the bigger threat for the Golden Knights, as the Tanay 8-way team has carefully built up the current lineup to the 20+ level, and there are serious training plans for the 2018 season. Tanay has not yet posted a 20+ average in the team's history, while the last 2017 scores in Saarlouis indicated the potential to leave the 20-average level behind easily in the next 10-round meets.

The Golden Knights are aware of the situation and will be on their toes when it becomes serious again. They have a vast amount of 8-way competition experiences available, not only from the 22-meet winning streak since September 2010. Five of the current team members (Justin Blewitt, Josh Coleman, Matt Davidson, Larry Miller and team captain Sean Sweeney) have also seen all the ups and downs since 2009, together with coach Kurt Isenbarger. They know how to deal with pressure - whenever there is any...

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