posted Mar 2nd, 2011 - The NSL News covered the national 4-way teams from Scandinavia extensively at and after the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2010. The last update on 23 September 2010 discussed Denmark's team Bodyflight Voluntas' chances to become the top contender in the race for the unofficial amateur world champion title.

The situation for Voluntas has changed in the meantime, as the team has a new lineup. Finland's unofficial Scandinavian champion, the Pro Team, had only plans until the World Meet in Menzelinsk, and Norway does not have a national team in the Open Class at the moment.

Promising news came from Sweden where last year's national team Bardagi continues with the same lineup. Bardagi was only in 3rd place of the four Scandinavian teams in Menzelinsk and far behind Pro Team and Voluntas after the eight rounds for all teams and before the cut for the semifinals. However, this may change now.

World Meet 2010		Round1	Round2	Round3	Round4	Round5	Round6	Round7	Round8	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open Class	10,7,12	3,11,5	J,M,Q,P,L	19,1,13	N,18,20	K,17,8	2,15,H	4,D,6	Total	Avg
10	Finland Pro Team	17	16	43	14	15	17	17	17	156	19.5
11	DK Bodyflight Voluntas	17	15	37	16	15	18	16	18	152	19.0
13	Sweden Bardagi	12	13	35	12	14	12	14	16	128	16.0
14	Norway X3M4S Elements	14	11	30	14	13	15	13	16	126	15.8

Swedish national teams have attended the World Championships of Formation Skydiving each time since 1985, with two exceptions in 1999 and 2001. However, no team from Sweden has ever won the unofficial Scandinavian championship. Bardagi may have the opportunity in 2012 to win this title.

Team speaker Seth Ericsson, Bardagi's Center Inside, recently updated the NSL News with his team's plans for the 2011 season. Bardagi just completed the first indoor training camp at Bodyflight Bedford, host of the World Challenge 2011, under supervision of coach Gary Smith.

He reported that his team first discussed what blocks needed the most attention at this stage, either due to lack of consistency last season or just by being new in the dive pool (Block 1 and Block 13). Coach Gary Smith also stressed the importance of "palming" (flying lighter on the grips) in order to save time in the transitions.

Seth Ericsson reported more details of a long training day in Bedford: "We had a really long day. Came there just after 0800 in the morning and leaving just after midnight. No problem at all falling asleep back at the hotel..."

Bardagi was working on the B-slots next morning and finished at 6 PM: "We wrapped up the day by taking a quick shower and then treated ourselves by going to the wonderful restaurant The Plough. The final day we had a little less time booked, so we were done just after lunchtime."

Bardagi and coach Gary Smith were both happily surprised by the performance level at this point in time. Seth Ericsson said that it actually feels like the team is performing even better than at the end of the 2010 season despite the winter break. The next training camp is only three weeks away, and the Bardagi members will prepare for it with physical and mental excercises. The NSL News will follow the Swedish team in the race for Scandinavian excellence...