posted Mar 26th, 2016 - The Sun Path Products NSL News covered the history of Satori XL at the Shamrock Showdown with the story on February 28th.

The third visit to DeLand at the beginning of a competition season was successfully completed after ten rounds. In fact, Round 10 was probably Satori's favorite one, as the 22-pointer was rewarded with $500 for the highscore after handicap in the Shamrock Showdown Skins Game.

However, it was not only the money that made Round 10 the best one for Satori XL. It was also the round where the British national 4-way team showed most clearly the potential for an underdog position at the Mondial 2016. The first two places are realistically out of reach for any other 4-way national team but NMP PCH Hayabusa and Arizona Airspeed, while several teams can claim chances to be in medal contention for the FAI bronze medals. Aerodyne French Girls and Qatar Tigers perform on the potential bronze medal level and provided a benchmark for Satori XL in DeLand, who were within striking distance in several rounds and completely on par in Round 10.

Shamrock Showdown 2016			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class		3,13,9	G,6,21	10,20,11	18,4,B	F,1,14	19,5,7	P,Q,16,A	C,15,M,12	J,L,K,2	E,O,22,17	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	US	23	24	19	22	24	24(-1)	29	25	29	24	243	24.3
2	Aerodyne French Girls	FR	21	22	17	21	23	20	27	21	27	22	221	22.1
3	Qatar Tigers	QA	19	22	16	21	19	19	29	20	28	22	215	21.5
4	SDC Rhythm XP	US	19	19	15	19	21	20	26	19	25	21	204	20.4
5	Satori XL	UK	19	18	16	20	19	20	26	18	24	22	202	20.2
6	TurBu 2.0	US	15	19	15	15	19	20	24	15	21	20	183	18.3
7	Teiwaz	US	11	13	12	13	12	13	16	11	17	12	130	13.0

SDC Rhythm XP, the 4-way runner up behind Arizona Airspeed in the U.S.A., was the most direct competition for Satori XL at the Shamrock Showdown. The British team ended up just two points behind after a battle with a maximum difference of two points in one round, and with all other rounds tied or with a 1-point difference.

Satori and Rhythm were also connected with each other in a different way. They shared the videographer for the meet, Rob Stevenson, who had a busy 20-round competition and mastered it almost flawlessly. Only SDC Rhythm XP suffered one point deduction for a flat camera angle in Round 7.

Rob Stevenson has a long history with two Satori XL members. He was filming the Sebastian XL lineup with original members Pete Allum and John McIver and competed with them at the world meets in 2001 (Spain) and 2003 (France).

XL discontinued with outdoor competition after the World Meet in Gap 2003 and still had indoor reunions with a variety of different lineups. John McIver eventually joined Satori after a longer break and still attended XL meets here and there. Pete Allum finally accepted a Satori team invitation last year, and the team name changed to Satori XL.

The new Satori team project enjoys strong support by James Swallow, who runs the DZ operations at Skydive Spain, Skydive Algarve and in Hibaldstow, host of the UK Nationals and other popular 4-way meets. He was also in DeLand to take care of daughter Chloe, while her mother was competing.

Satori XL will meet the same three teams next week in Bedford at the World Challenge 2016 for a new opportunity to check the medal winning performance level at the beginning of the world meet season. Videographer Rob Stevenson will be able to skip the meet and recover from the busy 2-team event. Neither Satori nor Rhythm will need him in Bedford...