posted Apr 3rd, 2007 - NSL-TV coverage of the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2007 is back to full strength. All 13 videos of Round 8 have been processed and uploaded.

The prizes for Round 8 of the Skins Game were sponsored by Performance Designs ($300 cash) and Skydive DeLand (two free team jumps for the winner of this round). The winner after handicap was once again Team Fastrax.

Team Fastrax continued with the same momentum as in Rounds 6 and 7 and tried to get even closer to the leader. However, Airspeed Odyssey was prepared to defend the 3-point lead and tied Fastrax' 27-pointer.

The challenger was still a little bit faster, even though the score for the round was identical. Airspeed Odyssey completed the first Monopod of Block 4 just at the end of the working time (34.93 seconds), while Fastrax was half a second ahead (34.46 seconds) and already well within the block maneuver.

The Golden Knights had a fast first page and then fell behind page by page. Airspeed Odyssey with Eliana Rodriguez in the Point position had the fastest block times compared to both other top teams. Team Fastrax was making up for the slightly slower block with faster random times, while the Golden Knights ended up with two points less at the end.

Team Fastrax had now passed the Army team by the two points gained in Round 8. The Fastrax scores of Rounds 6 and 7 had not only reduced the distance to Odyssey. Fastrax had also caught up with the Golden Knights after Round 7, and the scores of Round 8 separated both teams for the first time to the advantage of Fastrax.

Round 8 was also the strongest one for the new national team from Denmark, Danish Blaze. The team's 17-pointer for G-4-N-B was the first and only score of the 10-round meet that beat the three US teams right in front of the Danish team in the mid-field, Optic Nerve, Fastrax Blue and Teiwaz. An update of the situation in Denmark will follow later today.

Round 8 was also the highlight of the meet for CSC Rhythm of the Midwest Skydiving League. The 13-pointer for the AA Class sequence (G-4-N) outscored two teams of the AAA Class field, even though the AA Class sequence was the slower one.

The shorter sequences of the AA Class dive pool sometimes force the teams to repeat a block maneuver more often. In this case, CSC Rhythm did not have the easy Random Formation B (Stairstep Diamond) at the end of the sequence and had to get back to Block 4 (Monopod - Monopod) earlier, while the AAA Class teams were still earning quick scoring points.

CSC Rhythm will be guided by player coach Robert Chromy through the whole 2007 season. Regular Teiwaz competitor and professional 4-way coach Robert Chromy was an event coach for the Midwest Skydiving League at several meets in the past and has visited the region on a regular coaching basis, as well. His Center Inside position with CSC Rhythm will bring him to the Midwest even more frequently this year.

Laurent Beaudouin (Tail), JaNette Lefkowitz (Center Outside) and Steve Lefkowitz (Point) complete the line-up, Andy Metcalfe is the team's videographer. Laurent Beaudouin competed with MWSL AAA Class team CSC Rubicon last year. JaNette Lefkowitz was in the Tail position for the CSC Sirens throughout the 2006 season where the team attended a total of seven meets.

Steve and JaNette Lefkowitz caught the attention of the NSL News for the first time on 22 February 2006 after they had competed with a pick-up team (Evas Revenge) at the Valentine's Meet. It was the first 4-way competition for Steve Lefkowitz in February 2006. The NSL News story on 24 August 2006 provided more details of his progressive skydiving career. He had already joined CSC Rubicon at that time.

CSC Rhythm competed in the AA Class at the Shamrock Showdown. Player coach Robert Chromy plans to move his team up into the AAA Class later this year. The training had not come to the point in March where the team would be familiar enough with the AAA Class dive pool. CSC Rhythm might become a medal contender in USPA's Advanced Class competition this year.