posted Jan 22nd, 2014 - Arizona Airspeed's Center Outside Thomas Hughes was still on his way back home after competing at the Wind Games 2014 when the Sun Path Products NSL News connected with him during a layover in Frankfurt, Germany.

NMP-PCH Hayabusa's Tail, Roy Janssen, had provided his feedback on 18 January 2014, and it would be interesting to hear the meet story from the other side of the top competition.

Thomas Hughes was watching Martial Ferre's VELOCE.FR videos on SKYLEAGUE.COM while the conversation took place via Skype technology. He was able to comment live on the competition rounds and point out the most important events sequence by sequence.

Wind Games 2014		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	4way Open Class	C,20,17	16,A,D,7	J,P,13,L	N,21,22	M,8,15	K,3,6	F,4,1	B,G,H,O,10	5,18,9	Q,2,12	Total	Avg
1	NMP-PCH Hayabusa	29(-1)	36(-1)	33	27	31	30(-1)	29	41	32(-1)	26	314(-4)	31.4
2	Arizona Airspeed	32	35	30(-4)	27	32	26(-2)	32	38(-1)	32(-1)	21(-4)	305(-12)	30.5

The NSL Talk conversation was recorded yesterday and began with a summary of the Airspeed experience at the latest indoor competition and the first 2014 showdown with NMP-PCH Hayabusa. Thomas Hughes was happy to see that the new Airspeed lineup has caught up with the incredible and famous Hayabusa pace.

He said that it is nothing unusual that his team launches a new competition season with many more penalties than later on in the same year. Catching up with the pace was important, and cleaning up is the next task on hand. He explained some of the penalty situations during the live commentary of the competition rounds.

The Phalanx (Random Formation Q) in Round 10 was one of the trouble makers. Airspeed lost the round by five points, including four point deductions, which were all related to the same formation. Thomas Hughes said that the Phalanx was technically not well built.

The three Phalanxes following the very first one were all busted by the 3-judge panel, even though nothing seems to be wrong with the 16th scoring formation. "Justice" came for Airspeed when only one judge detected the incomplete Phalanx at the 21st scoring formation. Airspeed will surely look for safer Phalanxes in the future.

Thomas Hughes said that winning Round 1 was actually a result of good planning. It was only a surprise for Hayabusa, while Airspeed was aware of the team's history of slower starts into the meets and came out of the gates more agressively this time.

The undefeated Belgian indoor champions with the current lineup digested the surprise quickly and came back strongly in Round 2 while also benefitting from a shaky Airspeed start. Airspeed's four point deductions in Round 3 finally created a distance that was too much.

The new Airspeed front piece also used its own new vertical technique for Block 8 (Canadian T - Canadian T). Thomas Hughes said that they will take this technique to the skies, as well. Airspeed won Round 5 with Block 8 in the sequence. The first outdoor events may happen on home turf in Eloy, where the French 4way teams and Canada's Evolution lineup are currently in training. Airspeed plans to ask them for a few training meets. Paraclete XP Indoor and Outdoor Championships will be the first showdown with all top teams in the world.

The Airspeed front piece is doing well, and the Sun Path Products NSL News featured the story of the relationship between Thomas Hughes and Thiago Gomes on January 19. Thomas Hughes had his own story that he told during the live NSL Talk.

He visited Thiago Gomes at his home when he was coaching Sebastian Tempest and saw an Airspeed photo on the wall. His new piece partner had cut out the faces of the Airspeed members on the podium and replaced one with his own profile. There were question marks on the other faces. Not any longer...