posted Jan 13th, 2014 - The story of the Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship began in 2007, as the Sun Path Products NSL News reported on 4 January 2014, while the Shamrock Showdown was launched in 2002. The recent story on 7 January 2014 had featured the 2002 battle between DeLand Majik and Airspeed Vertical.

The March event at Skydive DeLand was only a 4way competition until 2009. Golden Knights team captain Brian "BK" Krause asked for an 8way competition for the first time at the beginning of the 2010 season. His new 8way lineup had won the USPA Nationals 2009 and would compete for the USA at the world meet in Menzelinsk 2010.

He was looking for more competition practice with his new team, as the French 2010 lineup consisted of very experienced 8way competitors who would have an advantage after going through many 8way battles over the years. The Shamrock Showdown 2010 eventually included the first 8way competition, and the Golden Knights launched the 2010 world meet season with a 19.1 average in DeLand.

Shamrock Showdown 2010		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7	Round 8	Total	Avg
Rank	8way Open Class	19,O,12	A,14,11	E,9,2	18,13,7	8,16,N	4,15,D	J,H,G,3	22,1,6	Total	Avg
1	Golden Knights (US)	15	16	14	15	21	26	29	17	153	19.1
2	Dallas Rogue (US)	11	7	12	11	14	17	19	13	104	13.0
3	Paraclete XP8 (US)	15	17	11	16	20	21	-	-	100	16.7

The Paraclete XP8 lineup offered the Golden Knights a good competition for five rounds but could not complete the eight rounds that the Golden Knights did. Dallas Rogue also used the 8way competition at the Shamrock Showdown 2010 to prepare for the battle with Perris Moxie at the USPA Nationals 2010.

The Golden Knights won the USPA gold medals with a 19.9 average after coming back from Russia with silver medals. The 19.6 average in Menzelinsk was not enough to outscore the French 8way veterans who won their third consecutive 8way gold medals with a 20.3 average.

However, the idea of starting the world meet season with an 8way competition came back with the plans for the Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship 2012. This time, the Russian national team Barkli visited in March and made the event a great memory for the three participating 8way teams. It was also the first 8way competition for Dubai Asaar's 8way team.

Paraclete XP Outdoor 2012		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	8way Open Class	8,7,E	O,4,14	Q,H,18,1	D,L,N,B,13	21,20,5	17,A,19	10,15,11	P,K,22,F	16,J,3	6,M,9	Total	Avg
1	Golden Knights (US)	18	24	23	21	17	18	23	26	29	20	219	21.9
2	Barkli (RU)	15	21	20	21	17	16	19	19	29	14	191	19.1
3	Dubai Asaar (AE)	6	8	10	5	6	7	6	6	9	10	73	7.3

The 2014 season is the next world meet year, and the 8way competition at the Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship 2014 is back again. This time, it even features the first showdown between the Golden Knights and the new French 8way lineup. The unofficial #4 in the world rankings, Dubai Asaar, is also back with a new lineup.

The 8way situation between France and USA is exactly the same as it is in 4way between Arizona Airspeed and NMP-PCH Hayabusa. Maubeuge Aerodyne and Golden Knights competed against each other at the Mondial Dubai 2012 and then never again in 2013. Both French teams, the previous national lineup (21.5) and the new 8way generation (16.0), attended the World Cup 2013, while the Golden Knights posted their only scores (22.3) at the USPA Nationals 2013.

The French 16.0 average does not look very impressive. However, there will be a very different number on the 8way scoreboard of the Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship 2014. Golden Knights and the new Maubeuge Aerodyne lineup will first meet at the 8way competition of the Paraclete XP Indoor Championship 2014 before jumping from a Twin Otter in DeLand.