posted Jan 5th, 2026 - Recent Arizona Airspeed news, along with the aftermath of the latest NSL News regarding the lineup changes, has revealed considerable information about the departure of Chris Kuhlmann and the addition of new Airspeed member Michelle Karamon. One of the key topics is the likely slot assignment for the new lineup.

Chris Kuhlmann leaves behind the inside center position, the control center of a 4-way team. He guided the previous Airspeed lineup to two world championship titles from this slot. The new Airspeed roster—Michelle Karamon, Joey Marshall, Alisson de Vargas, Doug Hendrix, with Alex Swindle on camera—must now decide whether Michelle Karamon will step directly into Kuhlmann’s former position. This comes after one year of continuity for Alisson de Vargas as outside center and Doug Hendrix at tail. Joey Marshall has held the point slot since joining Airspeed alongside Chris Kuhlmann in 2020.

Michelle Karamon is far from new to the inside center position. In her NSL profile, she identifies it as her primary 4-way slot. She began her XPG4 career as inside center, moved to point for several years starting in 2021, and later returned to inside center when Anna Brunner vacated the position. In 2024, she won the Women’s 4-way outdoor world championship as inside center for XPG4.

FAI Outdoor World Championship 2024			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Women		14,G,13		J,C,17,12		D,A,21,P		18,B,H,F		E,L,O,8		22,2,K		6,7,16		9,20,15		3,M,N,4		5,1,10		Total	Avg
1	XPG4	US	19	-1	22	-1	28		30	-1	28		20		20		18	-1	24		18		227	22.7
2	China	CN	18	-1	17	-4	29		27		28	-1	18		21		16	-1	21		17	-1	212	21.2
3	Nephtys	FR	17		20		27		26	-1	25		18		17	-1	15	-1	17	-2	16		198	19.8
4	Meltemi Oceanside Illertissen	DE	16		17		21		23		20		16		15	-1	15		19		17		179	17.9
5	Thyra	NO	12		14		18		14	-2	11	-5	13		12	-1	12		14		12		132	13.2

---

Inside Center Michelle Karamon with XPG4 at Crystal Coast 2024

---

She later switched to outside center when Anna Brunner returned to the XPG4 lineup for the FAI Indoor World Championship 2025. The indoor team Tunnel Vision moved her back to the point slot after XPG4 discontinued following the team's third-place finish in 4-way Women at the indoor world championship in April 2025.

The only remaining Airspeed member from the 2022–2024 lineup, Joey Marshall, has flown the point slot throughout his entire 4-way career. He also knows Michelle Karamon exclusively as an inside center from their first shared team, Ranch 2nd Generation. Michelle Karamon joined R2G in 2016 and immediately took over the team’s engine slot.

She spent three years with R2G in the same position before joining XPG4, where she initially continued as inside center. Her Tunnel Vision and XPG4 teammate Brenn Richards had also flown tail for R2G during the team’s first three years and later returned to that same slot with XPG4. Together, Brenn Richards and Michelle Karamon—flying as piece partners—won the FAI Women’s 4-way gold medals at Crystal Coast 2024.

USPA Nationals 2019			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		11		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open Class		7,C,H,P		J,21,20		O,3,11		B,2,K,E		8,Q,10		15,D,F,12		N,L,M,14		6,1,9		A,18,13		G,4,5		17,16,22		Total	Avg
G	NMP-PCH Hayabusa	BE	45	-1	24		27		37		21		25		34		25	-1	26	-1	25	-4	-		289	28.9
1	SDC Rhythm XP	US	41		22		21	-1	33		21		23		27		25		24		25		21	-1	262	26.2
2	Arizona Airspeed	US	40	-1	24		22	-2	32		19	-2	24		29		25		21	-2	26	-1	20	-2	262	26.2
3	Defiance	US	30	-1	21		15	-4	28		16		19		22	-3	21		18	-1	18	-1	-		208	20.8
4	Ranch 2nd Generation	US	26		19		19		24	-2	16	-1	17	-1	24		18	-1	19		19		-		201	20.1
G	Kinetix	AU	26		18		17		22		13	-1	17		18	-1	17		17		17		-		182	18.2
5	Lite XP	US	24	-1	17		17		22		15		17		20	-2	16	-1	14		17		-		179	17.9
6	No Name	US	22	-4	17		14		19	-2	12	-2	13		14	-3	15		14		16		-		156	15.6
7	Aviatrixx	US	21		14		13	-1	18	-1	12	-2	15		17	-1	14	-1	12		14		-		150	15.0
8	Perris Force	US	20		13	-1	14		18		11	-1	11		18	-1	13	-1	12		12	-1	-		142	14.2

---

Inside Center Michelle Karamon with Ranch 2nd Generation at Paraclete XP 2019

---

It would come as little surprise if Michelle Karamon continues as Arizona Airspeed’s inside center, replacing Chris Kuhlmann in what is widely regarded as her signature slot. She would work with a new piece partner, as Doug Hendrix is expected to remain in the tail slot he learned during his first year with Airspeed. The front piece is likely to remain unchanged, with Joey Marshall continuing at point and Alisson de Vargas at outside center, a pairing that was already in place after Niklas Hemlin’s departure.

Keeping Michelle Karamon in the inside center position would also ensure the smoothest possible transition from the previous lineup to the new one. All team members would remain in familiar slots, while the returning Airspeed three-way can draw on a full year of intensive 4-way training, competition, and shared team experience. The official Airspeed announcement confirmed participation at the Wind Games, leaving limited preparation time for the new lineup before its first competition. Arizona Airspeed will also be aiming to be competitive at the national indoor championship at Paraclete XP in February.

That event could prove particularly interesting, as the Golden Knights may already have their focus on the outdoor world championship in October, where they are expected to face Aethers (FR) and NMP PCH HayaBusa (BE) in a serious battle for the medal positions. Michelle Karamon can additionally rely on the insights of Chris Kuhlmann, her outside center teammate from Ranch 2nd Generation between 2016 and 2019. After joining Arizona Airspeed, Kuhlmann transitioned to inside center and mastered the role as part of a two-time outdoor world championship team. With that knowledge available, Arizona Airspeed’s transition to the new lineup could be even quicker and smoother than the previous one.