posted Jul 29th, 2015 - Teams in Sweden are in the middle of their national championships this week, and Joey Jones provided information from Gryttjom, home of the Stockholm Skydiving Club. He is once again visiting the Scandinavian country, where his wife Lena was born and raised. Lena Jones competed with Sweden's national team in 4-way Women many years ago.

Joey Jones is competing with guest team Fusion and is currently three points ahead of the reigning 4-way champions, Gryttjom Volo, who have won the national championships in 2013 and 2014. Team Fusion has Joey Jones, Keith Riley from New Zealand, former Dutch 8-way competitor Grant Christie and former Team Spai and Blue Spirits member Ulf Lilienback in the lineup.

Team Fusion completed five hours of indoor training and 49 jumps in the ten days leading up to the national championship this week.

Swedish Nationals 2015		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	P,8,3	2,D,K,17	H,22,C,7	10,O,1	4,E,21	11,J,5	L,Q,14,20	13,19,M	16,6,G	N,9,A,15	Total	Avg
1	Team Fusion	15	16	17	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	48	16.0
2	Gryttjom Volo	16(-1)	16(-2)	13(-4)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	45	15.0
3	Gryttjom Whuhuu	9(-3)	13(-1)	14	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	36	12.0
4	Aurora	12	11	10(-2)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	33	11.0
5	Team C4	11	10(-1)	10(-1)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	31	10.3
6	Nail It	9	7(-1)	10(-1)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	26	8.7
Rank	A Class	P,F,C	4,N	2,H	7,D	B,9	19,21	G,8	M,L,Q	A,6	O,J,K	Total	Avg
1	Gubbstön	14	7	5(-2)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	26	8.7
1	Estrella Pop De Light	11(-3)	6(-1)	9(-1)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	26	8.7
3	Kwansta Synchro	10	3	6(-1)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	19	6.3

Sweden's national team at the FAI World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2014, eXact, is not competing in Gryttjom, and Volo will easily defend the Swedish gold medals for the 4th consecutive time.

Joey Jones is realistically expecting Volo to catch up and possibly take the top spot:

"Long-time national team Volo is right on our heels after suffering 4 NJ's on their third round. They seem to be out-pacing Fusion, but only time will tell how the scoreboard will settle out."

He added that there is also a battle for the bronze medals: "Fighting it out for 3rd are two former members of Swedish female team Fire."

Joey Jones said that Aurora, with former Fire member Asah Helenius, is Sweden's most trained team this year: "Aurora has been training in Bedford and Empuriabrava with both Pete Allum and Steve Hamilton as their coaches. Team Wuuhuu, with Elizabeth Wetterlund, has only trained locally and has currently a slight edge."

Last year's AA Class winner Team C4 is currently in 5th place at the AAA Class debut. Coach Joey Jones is happy with the performance: "It was a horrendous training season. In the eight days we had scheduled together they made only 12 jumps. Not the best training season to prepare for entering the AAA Class, but as I have said in previous years: Watch out for these guys in the future..."

Team C4 is keeping close to Aurora while trying to fend off Nail It, who have substitute Annika Burstrom in the lineup. The competition continues tomorrow.