posted Mar 2nd, 2009 - As in 2008, the Carolina Skydiving League event at the Paraclete XP windtunnel in Raeford was the first indoor competition this year, and the Aerokart windtunnel in Paris, France, followed up with the annual French indoor championship last weekend. It was officially the second championship sanctioned by the French skydiving association.

Eleven teams competed in the AAA Class at the 2008 event, and Aerokart Mamba won with a 22.5 average after ten rounds. Twelve teams competed in Paris last weekend, and Aerkart Mamaba did not try to defend the title. Hayabusa Defence posted the team's first scores with the new lineup and took the first place without serious competition.

Coach Joey Jones was on competition site, as the NSL News already reported with the Hayabusa update on 27 February 2009. He commented the tunnel action for the NSL News with a brief summary:

"Hayabusa Defence is showing its new more aggressive style with lots of promise. Of course, the timeless question of whether such an aggression can be handled well is definitely an issue. Only time will tell. The Bedford Challege will be the first real test to the team's new lineup and its more aggresive approach."

Hayabusa Defence won in Paris with a 26.7 average. Last year's Hayabusa lineup finished with a 25.4 average at the World Challenge 2008. It seems as if Hayabusa Defence 2009 has already caught up. The NSL News will follow up with more feedback directly from the team's perspective.

Joey Jones also commented the performance of the team in second place, Aerokart Deep Blue, the French national team in the female category: "Aerokart Deep Blue looks disciplined and ready to challenge any team in the female class."

Aerokart Deep Blue posted a 24.1 average last weekend, after a 22.1 average a year ago in February 2008. Deep Blue now has a 2-week outdoor training camp in DeLand on the agenda before competing at the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2009. Then it will be time to think indoor again, as the World Challenge 2009 at Bodyflight Bedford follows two weeks later.

The French national team in the Open Class, France Maubeuge, did not compete at Aerokart last weekend. The third place was open for grabs, and Aerokart Amada Maubeuge took it with a 31.1 average. The Amada lineup consists of Guillaume Bajolet (Point), Thomas Perrin (Center Outside), Patrick Boulongne (Center Inside) and Florian "Foux" Denonfoux (Tail).

Aerokart Mamba member and French 8-way world champion of 2006 and 2008, Clément Martin-Saint-Léon, explained to the NSL News that this lineup is not competing at the World Challenge 2009. Aerokart Amada Maubeuge is one of the French B-Team lineups that will compete at this year's FAI World Cup in the Czech Republic.

Two other teams that competed in Paris last weekend have also signed up for the World Challenge 2009, Oxygene Team Armor and the Monaco Parachute Team. Oxygene finished with a 20.0 average in 4th place. The lineup includes former French 4-way world champion of 1999, Thierry Boitieux. Isabelle Seel was a member of White & See, the French team that competed with Deep Blue for the qualification as the French national team in the female category. Guillaume Donez and Vincent Nore complete this lineup.

The Monaco Parachute Team, with Didier Boignon, Laurent Hayot, Stephane Mattoni and Jeff Ronzevalle in the lineup, begins the 2009 competition season as in 2008. Monaco posted a 16.0 average at the Aerokart competition last year and finished with 18.0 last weekend. Monaco attended two more meets in France last year and finioshed the 2008 season at the USPA Nationals in Eloy. This year, the Monaco team has added another indoor competition to the schedule before the outdoor season begins.