posted Jul 21st, 2010 - Last weekend's leaderboard is complete, 58 teams participated in all four categories. The AAA Class leaderboard has been evaluated carefully with previous stories. An additional interesting aspect is the fact that the Top 5 teams represent five different countries (Finland - USA - France - Norway - Germany). Two of those five teams (Pro Team, X3M4S Elements) will soon travel to Menzelinsk in Russia and compete at the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2010.

The other three competition classes have their own special stories, as well. The A Class, with only eight blocks and all random formations in the dive pool, is still much more popular in Europe. It is the category where teams make their first experiences with block techniques after starting in the Rookie Class and only random formations. All eleven A Class teams last weekend were from three different European countries.

It was the opposite situation in the AA Class where only US teams competed last weekend. The European countries apply the AA Class, as well, but there were no teams competing in this category last weekend. By the way: there were also 19 French intermediate teams competing in Pamiers last weekend, in addition to the 15 listed AAA Class teams. France applies a different set of rules for the intermediate class.

Mideast Skydiving League teams at the May Meet

A team from the Mideast Skydiving League caught the NSL News attention when all scores were posted. Tenacity seems to become a top contender for the AA/Intermediate Class competition at the USPA Nationals 2010. The 11.2 average at the team's second meet this year won the 1st place in the AA Class last weekend.

Tenacity is an all-female lineup (Tristan Donley - Inside Center, Joan Esson - Tail, Jane McGuire - Outside Center, Arianna Williams - Point, Beth Shell on camera) that trains under Niklas Hemlin's guidance at Start Skydiving. Niklas Hemlin is a former Team Fastrax member.

Tenacity posted a 10.2 average at the first MESL 2010 meet in May. The video shows the team in action at the May meet.

USPA Nationals 2009		Round1	Round2	Round3	Round4	Round5	Round6	Round7	Round8	Round9	Round10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAClass	14,G,1	9,15	C,H,18	Q,K,O,21	22,20	M,19,D	7,B,13	11,E,P	6,J,2	4,F,8	Total	Avg
1	VTSD	12	13	14	18	9	15	14	10	12	14	131	13.1
2	Carolina Ice	10	12	11	15	8	14	12	12	12	9	115	11.5
3	Cross Keys NRG	10	10	10	13	8	12	13	11	6	9	102	10.2

The 11.2 average did not only win the first place in the AA Class competition of eight teams last weekend. This scoring level is evidence that the MESL team has the potential to win USPA medals this year.

Carolina Turbo XP, formerly known as VTSD, won last year with an outstanding 13.1 average. However, the silver medals went to Carolina Ice with an 11.5 average. Cross Keys NRG won the bronze medals with a 10.2 average, one point ahead of three other AA/Intermediate Class teams.

Tenacity's 11.2 average last weekend followed a 10.2 average in May. The combination of the six rounds in May and in July included 12 of the 16 AA Class blocks and indicates quite realistically the current performance level. Niklas Hemlin is aiming at one of the top positions again, this time as a coach, and he knows how to win medals. The NSL News will keep an extra eye on Tenacity...