 What would
round four bring for the two top contenders after DeLand Majik
delivered this strong blow in round three? Airspeed Vertical
did not appear to be too impressed. As to be expected from
such an experienced team, Vertical came back strong with the
highest score for the next round.
However, a closer look at the statistics of round four
shows that Vertical had the highest score but not the best
numbers. Actually, Majik posted the better results again in
all four categories.
The first page on the hill was faster (9.28 seconds for
Majik, 10.28 seconds for Vertical). And Majik was faster with
both blocks and also the random sequence. The block times were
taken from break to completion. The random sequence included
the move from the break at the end of block 16 (Box) to the
completion of the first Side
Buddies. |
|
Block 7 |
DeLand Majik |
Airspeed Vertical |
|
Page 1 |
1.66 |
1.79 |
|
Page 2 |
1.60 |
1.53 |
|
Page 3 |
1.52 |
1.61 |
|
Page 4 |
1.41 |
1.71 |
|
Page 5 |
1.41 |
1.44 |
|
Total |
7.60 |
8.08 |
| How was it possible then that Vertical won this round? The
reason is that Majik received a penalty in the middle of the
third random sequence. The break of the Crank was out of
sequence after a cat grip in the center of the Crank was
picked up later. The judges did not hesitate long to push the
red button even though the Crank may have been complete for
some frames.
The top teams with their breath taking pace are in a
situation where a small glitch and a break out of synch may
cause such a problem. The judges do not have much time to find
out whether the formation was complete or not. There is no
slow motion option for the judges. They just register the
glitch and have to deal with it to make their instant
call. |
|
Randoms |
DeLand Majik |
Airspeed Vertical |
|
Page 1 |
3.76 |
4.54 |
|
Page 2 |
2.88 |
3.03 |
|
Page 3 |
3.47 |
2.75 |
|
Page 4 |
2.81 |
3.04 |
|
Page 5 |
2.79 |
2.70 |
|
Average |
15.71 |
16.06 |
| In this case, the key came from an unexpected position
(tail) before the actual key person (tail of the center cat of
the Crank) dropped his grips. That was enough for the judges.
There was more trouble for Majik besides the two-point
penalty. The glitch also caused a very short period of
confusion in the team. Even though the Majik members all
realized what happened and made the best of fit, this little
hesitation resulted in the slowest of their random sequences
and the possible loss of an additional point. And Airspeed
Vertical was back within two
points..... | |
 Another
featured world class team, Sinapsi, the Italian national 4-way
team, posted record scores at the competition in DeLand.
Sinapsi had trained in DeLand for one month and concluded
the training camp with the competition. The result could not
be much better. Sinapsi had already scored a new inofficial
Italian record in round two with 27 points.
In round four, they came quite close to the two top teams
with their 21. The 17.8 average after ten rounds was the
highest meet average in Italian 4-way history. Sinapsi used
the Pilatus Porter for the competition, the plane that will be
used at the next World Championship in France in 2003.
The right-hand door of this plane makes each formation and
block maneuver a mirror image of the sequences the other teams
show from the Twinotter's left-hand door. Sinapsi has the
advantage that the Pilatus Porter is the jump plane used in
Italy. They will not have to change their training until the
world meet next year.
This will be different for many other teams, including the
U.S. national team. The U.S. teams still have to train from
the Twinotter since the U.S. Nationals 2002 will decide who
will represent the U.S.A. in France next
year. |
|
Block 16 |
DeLand Majik |
Airspeed Vertical |
|
Page 1 |
1.60 |
1.73 |
|
Page 2 |
1.44 |
1.62 |
2
|
Page 3 |
1.85 |
1.81 |
|
Page 4 |
1.69 |
1.71 |
|
Page 5 |
1.48 |
1.58 |
|
Total |
8.06 |
8.45 |
Sweden Phenix with veteran Matthias Nord, Ingemar Ohgren,
Andreas Lagstrom and Kenneth Eriksson posted a 14.4  meet average,
including a disastrous round eight with three penalties and a
lot of confusion.
The newly formed, young and athletic team will continue the
tradition of competitive 4-way skydiving in
Sweden. |
Blue Eye Majik consisted of two former Optic Nerve
members, Dr. Joel Shugar and Scott Keeler, who
teamed  up with player coaches
and Genesis members, Kyle Collins and Shannon Pilcher, in
double duties.
Shugar's and Keeler's former Optic Nerve team mates,
Gary Smith and Solly Williams, were focused on their pursuit
of Airspeed's 4-way dominance, thus not available at this
meet. Collins and Pilcher filled the slots for a 14.2
average. | |
