posted Jun 14th, 2023 - The return of XPG4 member Jeana Billings to the U.S. national team in 4-way Women brings back the topic of 4-way and 8-way double duties that the NSL News has covered for many years. Jeana Billings is still a member of Paraclete XP's new 8-way team, XPGK8, with reigning 8-way world champions in the lineup.

The topic of double duties has mostly been related to the situation at FAI World Championships and World Cups, where the best teams in the world are trying to win medals. Double duties are not as exceptional at national championships and other 4-way and 8-way competitions where the field is not as strong as at the FAI/ISC events.

Jeana Billings was first recruited by the Ranch 2nd Generation 4-way team (R2G), who were on their way to become one of the medal contenders in 4-way Open at USPA Nationals. The R2G team career came to an end when team members Joey Marshall and Chris Kuhlmann were recruited by Arizona Airspeed's Niklas Hemlin and Mikhail Markine after the USPA Nationals 2019.

R2G team mates Michelle Karamon and Jeana Billings had already been selected for Paraclete XP's 8-way team when they were still training and competing with Joey Marshall and Chris Kuhlmann for R2G. They launched their own XPG4 team project in 4-way Women when it became clear that Joey Marshall and Chris Kuhlmann would join Arizona Airspeed.

FAI Outdoor World Cup 2019			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open		13,11,16		P,22,4		O,7,21		9,20,G		18,15,L		K,10,3		6,14,C		1,M,A,17		F,D,Q,8		2,5,E		Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	US	20	-1	22		28		29		21		21	-1	21	-2	29		31	-2	24	-2	246	24.6
2	SDC Rhythm XP	US	19	-1	22		25		21	-2	20	-1	20		23		25		29	-1	24	-2	228	22.8
3	Airspeed Odyssey	US	14	-2	17	-2	22	-2	21	-2	18	-1	16	-3	21		23		26	-3	17	-2	195	19.5
Rank	8-way Open		13,11,16		P,22,4		O,7,21		9,20,G		18,15,L		K,10,3		6,14,C		1,M,A,17		F,D,Q,8		2,5,E		Total	Avg
1	Tanay 8	RU	19		26		18		20		23		21	-1	20		24		20		16		207	20.7
2	France	FR	20		24		18		19	-1	21		22	-1	19		23		19		17		202	20.2
3	Paraclete XP8	US	21	-1	24	-1	16	-1	18		21		20	-2	19		22	-1	19		18		198	19.8

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Chris Kuhlmann's 4-way and 8-way double duties in Eloy 2019

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Chris Kuhlmann continued with his own double duties (Arizona Airspeed - XP8) for three years (2019 - 2021). He first replaced Matt Davidson throughout the former Golden Knights' recovery from hip surgery, and his new Airspeed team mates Niklas Hemlin and Mikhail Markine eventually joined him for the same double duties in 2020, while Joey Marshall did only 4-way training and competition with Airspeed.

The three former R2G members (Michelle Karamon, Jeana Billings, Chris Kuhlmann) and the three Airspeed members (Niklas Hemlin, Mikhail Markine, Chris Kuhlmann) eventually won 8-way gold medals together for XP8 (John D'Annunzio, Kirk Verner, Brian Krause, Elliot Byrd on camera) at the FAI Tanay Mondial.

Only Michelle Karamon and Jeana Billings continued with XP8 and won their second set of FAI gold medals at the FAI Outdoor World Championship 2022, while they both had double duties at the same event and won bronze medals with XPG4 in 4-way Women. Their former R2G team mates Joey Marshall and Chris Kuhlmann won their first 4-way gold medals in Eloy and have been on the top of the 4-way world since October 2021.

Michelle Karamon and Jeana Billings eventually parted ways after the same world championship. Michelle Karamon continued only in 4-way with XPG4, while Jeana Billings and the new XP8 lineup had only the third set of consecutive 8-way gold medals in their minds. Michelle Karamon and Jeana Billings competed in different 4-way teams for the first time since 2019 at the Paraclete XP Indoor Championship 2023, Michelle Karamon with XPG4, Jeana Billings with XP4 and XP8.

FAI Outdoor World Meet 2022			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open		20,16,B		P,D,21,13		17,K,11		E,A,19,22		2,9,M		C,14,F,12		3,6,18		4,10,1		8,Q,O,H		5,7,J		Total	Avg
1	Paraclete XP8	US	25	-1	20		20	-1	18	-1	18		19	-1	23		26	-1	16	-2	20	-2	205	20.5
2	Qatar Falcons	QA	21	-1	14	-2	16	-1	17		16		15	-1	19	-1	20	-1	14	-1	12	-4	164	16.4
3	Airbus	DE	18		14		14		13		4	-1	12	-2	16		16		12		14		133	13.3
Rank	4-way Open		20,16,B		P,D,21,13		17,K,11		E,A,19,22		2,9,M		C,14,F,12		3,6,18		4,10,1		8,Q,O,H		5,7,J		Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	US	21	-1	28		27		27		31		23		21		20		32		31		261	26.1
2	NMP-PCH Hayabusa	BE	20	-1	25	-2	21		23		28		20	-2	19		17		29		26		228	22.8
3	Qatar Tigers	QA	19	-2	23	-1	22	-1	21	-1	26		18		17	-1	17		28		28		219	21.9

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Michelle Karamon's and Jeana Billings' 4-way and 8-way double duties in Eloy 2022

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The situation changed when XPG4's new member Shannon Catalano did not continue after the national indoor championship in February. Jeana Billings agreed to help out with little time left before the FAI Indoor World Championship 2023, and XPG4 finished with a new record average after a 10-round battle for gold medals with the French Nephtys.

XPG4 made new plans with the same lineup who spent the 2022 season together, which brings Jeana Billings back to double duties in 4-way and 8-way. She is used to it, and her 8-way team mates gave her and Michelle Karamon all the support they needed when they both trained and competed with XP8 and XPG4.

The first serious test of the new situation, with double duties only for Jeana Billings, is scheduled for August when both Paraclete lineups, XPG4 and XPGK8, travel to Voss in Norway for the FAI Outdoor World Cup 2023. This year's Summer Classic competition at Skydive Paraclete will also bring the same pressure situation to Jeana Billings before the trip to Norway.

The situation is still different in Norway and then again in Israel 2024. XPG4 have taken the position of the world's top contender in 4-way Women, and the topic of double gold at a world championship is just coming back as the double duties in 4-way and 8-way did. Three former R2G members (Michelle Karamon, Jeana Billings, Brenn Richards) are aiming at the FAI gold medals in 4-way Women, together with their R2G team mates Joey Marshall and Chris Kuhlmann in 4-way Open, while Jeana Billings could become the first 4-way Women competitor to win double-gold at a world championship.

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NSL Live Talk about double duties with Michelle Karamon - Jeana Billings - Kirk Verner - Craig Girard

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