posted Oct 5th, 2018 - It is time for the NSL News live coverage of the FAI World Meet 2018 from Gold Coast in Australia. The transition of the mobile NSL office has been completed, and the first video clip presents the hosting facility at the Runaway Bay Sports Super Centre.

The welcome by the host began at the Brisbane International Airport, even though the celebration was not directly related to the world meet. Local residents were showing how Aboriginal Australians welcome their own people. The timing was perfect, as several competitors and judges were arriving at the same time.

Another surprise followed soon after former IPC President Graeme Windsor dropped the car load at the event location. He volunteered for the world meet as a driver for the shuttle service between the airport and the facilities.

The next surprise was actually a birthday celebration for Dennis Praet that was organized by the Dutch Project 20+ Team Out of the Blue for the NMP PCH HayaBusa member who has been coaching the Dutch team.

There was also an unfortunate surprise for the German delegation. Airbus 8-way veteran Thomas Spielvogel broke bones of both hands just a few days before departure from Germany and has to sit on the bench. Thomas Mack of the German 4-way team will be filling in for him and do double duties.

The actual competition site has been open for training only since Wednesday. The teams and competitors who came earlier have been training at other skydiving centers in the area.

Saturday is the official training day for the teams and the last opportunity to become familiar with the competition site before Round 1 on Sunday morning. It is an unusual situation for most of the teams and competitors, as Tent City, take-off spot for the jump planes and landing are located at three different spots.

Vehicles transport teams and competitors from Tent City to the take-off position, which is approx. 10 minutes away, while the landing area can be seen from Tent City in the sports center. The shuttle service provides the transportation from the landing area back to Tent City, as well. Graeme Windsor explained that four Cessna Caravans are ready for the lifts to jump altitude in all events.