posted Dec 3rd, 2011 - The scores of Round 5 and Round 6 did not change the slightest thing between Aerodyne Aerokart and NMP-PCH Hayabusa in the 4way Open Class competition of the 3rd Dubai Championship 2011. The Belgian team is now right on pace with France.

Hayabusa's Tail Roy Janssen told NSL News correspondent Max Thiele that the sequences of both rounds did not offer a real opportunity for a charge. Both sequences had memory and slot switchers, and both top contenders handled them with caution. There was more potential for damage than for a significant gain.

The Top 4 teams all together combined for only two penalties, and they both went to Perris Fury, which added another point to the SDC Rhythm XP lead over the US rival. There are only two more rounds to go, which are not much different as of a point of attack for Hayabusa. Round 7 brings more memory and slot switchers, and Round 8 has the slowest sequence of the 8-round meet. It will be interesting to see how the Belgians will try to win the meet. Max Thiele said that Hayabusa has now decided to switch into full attack mode.

3rd Dubai Championship 2011		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7	Round 8	Total	Avg
Rank	4way Open	L,C,P,20	K,M,6,15	G,19,H,11	2,10,E	13,9,5	O,7,3	B,21,16	4,1,22	Total	Avg
1	France Aerodyne Aerokart	33 (-1)	26 (-2)	26	20 (-1)	25	27	-	-	157	26.2
2	Belgium NMP-PCH Hayabusa	32 (-1)	23 (-1)	25 (-1)	22 (-1)	25	27	-	-	154	25.7
3	SDC Rhythm XP	28	24	23	18	21	23	-	-	137	22.8
4	USA Perris Fury	28 (-1)	19 (-4)	21	17 (-1)	19 (-2)	24	-	-	128	21.3

Hayabusa was already more aggressive in Round 6 and finished ahead of France, as the Belgians almost completed Block 7 on the 6th page while Aerodyne Aerokart had just started into the same inter. Max Thiele said that Hayabusa also had the better engineering for the sequence of Round 6. However, it will be very difficult to eliminate the 3-point difference in the last two rounds.

Perris Fury almost completed the 26th point according to eye witness Max Thiele in front of the large viewing screen. He said that it was finally a good round for the US national team in Dubai, after a performance so far that was neither convincing for the audience nor for the team. Max Thiele said that the Fury members don't appear to be very happy with the competition performance.

The audience of the USPA Nationals 2011 may still remember that Fury caught up with SDC Rhythm XP in the last two rounds. This seems to be impossible this time. Round 9 and Round 10 had the fastest sequences of the competition in Eloy, and Fury was only five points behind. Rhythm is now nine points ahead, and the coming sequences are slower ones. Rhythm seems to be in a safe position.

3rd Dubai Championship 2011		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7	Round 8	Total	Avg
Rank	4way Women	L,C,P,20	K,M,6,15	G,19,H,11	2,10,E	13,9,5	O,7,3	B,21,16	4,1,22	Total	Avg
1	UK Team Blue	21 (-1)	22	16 (-1)	16 (-1)	18	19 (-2)	-	-	112	18.7
2	France Aerodyne DB Defenders	19 (-1)	20	20	15	16	20	-	-	110	18.3
3	Russia Illusions	19 (-1)	18 (-1)	14 (-4)	14	11 (-2)	18 (-1)	-	-	94	15.7

UK's team Bodyflight, which is still Team Blue on the host's leaderboard, is two points ahead of the French Aerodyne Deep Blue Defenders in the female 4way competition. Just as in the Open Class, a 2-point difference does not seem to be much. However, a closer look at the previous scores and the extended leaderboard with the point deductions shows that it will also be very difficult for the French team to catch Bodyflight in the last minute.

The British 4way experts and female world champions of the past years have completed more points within working time in every single round so far, except in Round 3 that France won by four points after penalties. The Deep Blue Defenders are obviously much cleaner, but they will not be able to outscore the UK team. They need help by the judges or have to pick up the pace to win the meet. They are in the same boat with NMP-PCH Hayabusa...

Max Thiele confirmed the difficult situation for the French team: "It will be very difficult for France to beat the UK girls. They have so much experience, and they will know how to deal with the last two rounds and carry the victory over the finish line." He said that he would put his money on Bodyflight at this point in time...