posted May 21st, 2019 - Of all participants at the FAI Indoor World Meet, the Swedish national 4-way Open Class team Echochamber may have been first in launching the 2019 outdoor season, even earlier than NMP PCH HayaBusa and NFTO recently in Empuriabrava, Spain.

Echochamber was already back in action at the end of April when they traveled to Skydive Arizona for a spring training camp. It was Echochamber's outdoor lineup that launched the 2019 season, which has team coach Mattias Nord in the active lineup. Martin Bäcklin steps back once again after completing the indoor winter season at Weembi Lille in April.

Echochamber completed three indoor meets with Martin Bäcklin (Wind Games - Swedish Indoor Nationals - FAI Indoor World Meet) between end of October 2018 and April 2019. Matthias Nord was also in the lineup at the FAI Indoor World Cup 2018 in Bahrain.

Martin Bäcklin, Johan Edvall, Ulf Liljenbäck and Rikard Rodensjö competed together at all indoor and outdoor meets between February 2016 and April 2018. Martin Bäcklin was not able to train and compete throughout the complete 2018 season, and coach Mattias Nord filled the open slot.

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FAI Outdoor World Meet - October 2018		1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	21,L,B,G		22,18,17		19,7,O		J,16,12		10,A,D,15		Q,M,F,C,N		H,20,P,13		6,14,11		E,2,5		4,1,3		Total	Avg
1	Echochamber	25	-1	16		21	-1	17	-2	20	-1	48	-4	14	-3	18		21	-1	15	-1	215	21.5
Belgian Nationals - September 2018		1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	8,H,E,1		19,3,4		N,11,G,10		A,17,14		B,D,7,5		21,15,9		12,F,L,M		6,C,J,O		P,2,Q,22		K,20,16		Total	Avg
1	Echochamber	23		18		19		17	-3	26	-1	20	-1	24	-2	27	-3	19	-4	18		211	21.1
Swedish Nationals - July 2018		1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	P,8,20		4,E,5		A,12,2		17,19,11		9,Q,21		L,1,D,H		15,N,C,O		M,6,18		J,G,22,14		3,7,F		Total	Avg
1	Echochamber	22		20	-1	17	-1	17	-2	24		22		24		22		17	-2	26		211	21.1

Three 2019 outdoor meets with Mattias Nord in the Echochamber lineup

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Echochamber's outdoor lineup at the FAI Outdoor World Meet - Belgian Nationals - Swedish Nationals

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The Echochamber concept with different indoor and outdoor lineups, as for the 2018/2019 season, will be continued in the near future, as Martin Bäcklin will not be back for any outdoor training and competition, and Mattias Nord was back in action at the first 2019 outdoor training camp in Eloy.

Niklas Hemlin was coaching the Swedish player-coach and his team at his home drop zone in Arizona. He has the same Swedish roots as all Echochamber members. Niklas Hemlin and Mattias Nord also share similar paths of their 4-way competition careers. Niklas Hemlin competed for Sweden before he became a Fastrax and Arizona Airspeed member and then won FAI gold for the U.S. delegation in Dubai 2012.

Mattias Nord competed for Sweden, as well, and then joined the Norwegian national team Arcteryx. He placed 5th with the Norwegians at the FAI World Meet 2008 with a 22.5 average. The Arcteryx lineup with Mattias Nord discontinued at the end of the 2008 season, and Mattias Nord returned to Sweden. Almost exactly ten years later, Mattias Nord was back at a world championship, with Echochamber at the FAI World Meet 2018 in Australia.

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Echochamber at the Spring 2019 Camp in Eloy, Arizona

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Echochamber's outdoor lineup with player-coach Mattias Nord mastered the 2018 outdoor season better than the team's indoor lineup with Martin Bäcklin, as the Swedish team finished with the highest outdoor average (21.5) in Swedish 4-way history in Australia.

The indoor lineup posted the team's highest meet average at the FAI European Indoor Championship in April last year. The NSL News explained on May 4th how "Echochamber were not able to harvest after intensive training efforts and creative technical innovation" in the run-up to the FAI Indoor World Meet, and how "the Swedish team has plenty of energy and motivation to move forward and tackle the 30+ benchmark at the beginning of the next indoor season".

Mattias Nord will first try to guide Echochamber again through a progressive and successful 2019 outdoor season, before Martin Bäcklin will be back to do his part for the 30+ average indoor goal.

The first training camp with Niklas Hemlin was completed successfully, and Echochamber will follow up soon, with two 4-day training camps on home turf in Gryttjom, Sweden.