posted Feb 27th, 2018 - The 8-way videos of the Paraclete XP Indoor Championship 2018 are next, and they include the fourth 40+ score in the history of 8-way competition, the 40-pointer of the Golden Knights in Round 10.

The highest score ever was posted by a different Golden Knights lineup in Round 10, as well. It was a 43-pointer (C,3,A,O) at the same Paraclete indoor event in 2014. Five of the current Golden Knights (Justin Blewitt, Joshua Coleman, Matthew Davidson, Larry Miller, Sean Sweeney) were in the 2014 lineup, together with Kurt Isenbarger, Michael LaRoche and Jesse Stahler.

The 2015 lineup posted the highest 8-way indoor average (32.4) in history at the Clash of Champions in Dubai, which included a 42-pointer (N,H,4,D) drawn again for Round 10. Andrew Starr had replaced Michael LaRoche after the conclusion of the 2014 season with gold medals in Prostejov.

New Golden Knights member Jennifer Davidson started her 8-way career last year at Paraclete with a 31.8 average and a 41-pointer (B,K,J,4) in Round 5. She was selected when Jesse Stahler switched to the VFS team of the U.S. Army. Kurt Isenbarger was still in the 31.8 lineup at Paraclete 2017 before David Flynn took his slot the same year and now got his own 40-pointer, once again in Round 10.

Paraclete XP Indoor 2018			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open		17,19,B	J,O,21,N	Q,8,A,22	10,P,2	13,5,6	12,H,18	9,C,G,K	M,D,E,4	1,F,7	3,16,11	Total	Avg
1	Golden Knights	US	26	31	27	24	25	31	31	39	30	40	304	30.4
2	Qatar Falcons	QA	21	26	22	19	22	27	22	27	29	34	249	24.9
3	XP8	US	20	22	22	21	20	26	23	33	29	32	248	24.8
4	Veloce QRF	IN	18	20	19	17	19	21	22	29	23	29	217	21.7
5	Rhythm8	US	18	18	20	15	14	21	21	24	19	21	191	19.1
6	Veloce Captain Jack	IN	14	18	16	15	16	17	20	25	19	22	182	18.2
7	Blocksmiths XP	US	14	16	16	16	15	15	17	19	17	18	163	16.3
8	Spaceland Lite	US	12	12	12	13	13	14	13	18	17	18	142	14.2

The previous three 40+ scores had sequences with three random formations and one fast 8-way block (3 and 4). David Flynn's 40-pointer last weekend was the result of a 3-block sequence (3,16,11) including Block 11, which is not considered one of the fastest blocks in the 8-way dive pool.

No other 8-way team has yet scored a 40+ number for a round.

The Qatar Falcons posted a new team record average, as well, lifting the previous number of 22.1 at the Clash of Champions 2015 to 24.9 at Paraclete. The 34-pointer in Round 10 is the highest Falcons score for a single round, as well.

In fact, Qatar's national 8-way team beat their previous highscore of 26 points four times last weekend, which was a very strong statement and necessary to fend off Paraclete XP's new signature 8-way lineup of 2018 on their home turf.

It was the 34-pointer in the last round that turned Qatar's 1-point deficit after Round 9 into the 2nd place position at the end of the meet.

Paraclete XP Indoor 2016			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open		19,7,18	H,8,P,M	22,1,J	4,Q,12	E,5,2	11,L,3	21,N,17	A,15,G,O	10,13,K	9,6,16	Total	Avg
1	Golden Knights	US	25	27	34	36	24	36	27	36	26	31	302	30.2
2	Qatar Falcons	QA	17	18	23	26	19	24	20	26	19	24	216	21.6
3	Team White	FR	18	20	25	29	17	23	18	25	18	22	215	21.5
4	VIVA	CH	15	17	21	22	15	18	16	20	15	19	178	17.8
5	Rhythm	US	15	16	19	20	17	16	16	23	14	19	175	17.5
6	Team Yellow	FR	12	15	16	22	12	15	18	19	16	18	163	16.3
6	Spaceland Lite	US	12	16	18	23	14	19	14	18	11	18	163	16.3
8	14-O	US	13	13	16	17	13	16	15	18	17	17	155	15.5
9	DV8	US	13	14	17	18	13	17	13	18	13	15	151	15.1
10	Heros	US	11	16	15	19	13	18	10	15	13	15	145	14.5

It was not the first time for the Qatar Tigers that they had to finish with a strong last round after a battle for the 2nd place. The last visit at Paraclete for the 8-way indoor competition in 2016 had exactly the same situation after Round 9. The Qatar Falcons were one point behind in 3rd place and won Round 10 by two points to win the silver medals behind the Golden Knights.

Even the opponent was similar in 2016. The leaderboard is showing Team White in 3rd place. However, it was Martial Ferre's almost identical Veloce signature team that competed at the event. Only Damien Sorlin and Nicolas David were not in this year's Veloce QRF lineup and competed with the Captain Jack team. Jérome Héritier and Kjetil Nordin had already been in the QRF lineup at the Weembi 8-way competition in December 2017.

This time, Veloce could not keep up with the well trained Qatar Falcons any longer, despite their own intensive indoor training of several hours last week.

Golden Knights and Qatar Falcons will meet again at the FAI World Meet 2018 in Australia where the reigning 8-way world champions of 2012, 2014 and 2016 have to defend their top spot, while the Falcons are aiming at moving up from the 4th place in 2016 to a medal position...